


Under the Fateful Skies

by BinBingBong, spookyboywithspookystories



Category: VIXX
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Biting, Blood, Blood Drinking, Childhood Trauma, Humor, M/M, Mermaids, Multi, Past Child Abuse, Pirates, Polyamory ? I think?, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rape/Non-con Elements, Vampire Hunters, Vampires, Werewolves, thieves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-16
Updated: 2020-07-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:47:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 22,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22279651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BinBingBong/pseuds/BinBingBong, https://archiveofourown.org/users/spookyboywithspookystories/pseuds/spookyboywithspookystories
Summary: Six unfortunate souls driven together by fate, held together by tragedy, dreams and obligations.
Relationships: Kim Wonshik | Ravi/Lee Jaehwan | Ken, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Comments: 28
Kudos: 31





	1. Chapter 1

A young man leans against a soot-stained stone wall, draped in shadows and wrapped in layers of clothing too thin for the time of year. Dark brown hair curling around his wide, focused brown eyes. A frown is set deeply onto his face, distorting his otherwise handsome features, as his frustration further sinks into his bones. His joints ache bitterly, with both the chill of the dawn and the inaction of waiting. His jaw tenses as the smoke in the wind makes his eyes sting, making him shut them in discomfort. 

As he puts his hands in his pockets seeking warmth, parchment crinkles against his rough fingers. The scowl deepens as he is reminded why he has been waiting, _vulnerable_ and in the dark, for over an hour. The list of lives he was too late to save, and the inevitable future bodies he will add to that number. Torn open throats, tear-streaked cheeks from agony, the fear left in dead eyes, bloodless corpses. The possibility he could _save_ someone. He blinks away the impending headache, scrunching the paper further in his fist. His other hand itches to grab the dagger neatly hidden in his sleeves as he feels the air get heavier with the presence of another.

The near-stomping footsteps echo down the alleyway, breaking the silence with an _intentional_ severity. Hongbin allows his companion to approach, biting back his snarl at the late arrival. As the rising sun slowly illuminates the dust on his boots, he swivels on the heel of his foot, acknowledging the figure shrouded in fog. 

“One _might_ have assumed a werewolf would know how to be quiet, or maybe _on time_. Good morning, Taekwoon.” Hongbin’s deep voice resounds through the narrow passage, accentuated with a raised eyebrow and down-turned lips. An unimpressed glare clashes with his own, as Taekwoon clicks his tongue.

“One _might_ assume that a vampire hunter could catch a vampire _on his own_. Not to mention, there is clearly _no reason_ for stealth when there is no vampire here.” Taekwoon’s soft yet venomous voice slithers through the hollow atmosphere, and Hongbin silently huffs and pulls his overcoat closer by the pockets. Taekwoon raises the corner of his lips, the only expression betraying the amusement in his cold visage. The taller man stretches with purpose, raising to his full height in front of Hongbin. Their eyes never breaking contact, Taekwoon exhales through his nose and readjusts his hair with a flick of his head. 

“What do you have for me? The vampire has _clearly_ left by now, we both know that. It has been in this city for too long; we have gotten too close for it to stay.” Dimples appear as Hongbin seals his lips together, passing the scrap covered in his messy handwriting to Taekwoon. Near black eyes scan the text with a feigned boredom, before returning his gaze to the hunter. 

“You have gotten complacent in your long life, _beast_.” Hongbin starts bitterly, resenting the cursed man who believes him weak. 

“I believe the same, in any case, that the vampire has escaped by sea. It has been moving in this direction for a long time now, and it is a logical movement. I heard about an opportunity to work on a ship, which I intend for us to use as passage, in order to keep following the trail. Those are the details. Your presence and continued assistance are not negotiable, Jung Taekwoon.” Taekwoon’s eyes narrow further at the words.

“You intend for ‘ _us_ ’ to use this opportunity? There is no ‘us’, hunter. I said I would help you hunt this vampire only out of obligation, I never agreed to leave the country. Least of all, leave the country with _you_. The loss of this vampire is your own failure, Hongbin, and now our deal is void. You may be haunted by that truth as much as you wish, and for as long as you wish, but I refuse to assist further.” The werewolf turns to leave the man where he stands, when the identifiable click of a crossbow being loaded makes him halt.

“Should I take back my promise? You _owe_ me still, monster.” Hongbin’s voice sounds steady, yet is filled with barely suppressed impatience. He is aware it is unwise to provoke the taller man, nor does he want to deal with another corpse - or a wasted crossbow bolt - but his desperation is bleeding through his resolve. 

“You _will_ help me eradicate this monster, this _murderer_ , and only then you will be free of me. Do not _forget_ that I spared your life, against my better judgement. Until I deem the debt repaid, you are to do _as I say_. Perhaps even atone for your own sins along the way.” Hongbin’s teeth are exposed in a sour grin, mocking. 

Taekwoon doesn’t turn back around, but his long black hair sways slightly forward as he looks at the ground. He grinds his teeth together in irritation, digging his jagged nails into the flesh of his palms. 

“You go _too far_ , human. I will accompany you, but remember that my self control is the _only_ thing keeping you alive right now, and remember it _well_.” He pauses. “In the meantime, don’t get yourself killed.” The man's soft voice trails further away as he slinks away into the fading shadows, away from the vampire hunter with the exhausted eyes.

“Only _I_ get to kill you.”

~~~

“Lord Lee.” Jaehwan raises his attention from the glass in his hand, the red liquid so far having been more interesting than his company, to look at his caller. A short woman with her hair pinned high walks his way. Her heel is making an unpleasant clicking on the marble floor, but it may just be that Jaehwan is feeling _particularly_ sensitive. Yet, like the gentleman he portrays, he plasters the biggest grin on his face. If she was to pay a little more attention, it would be easy to deduce that it’s fake, but people at these functions are never too discerning. Jaehwan braces himself for the upcoming conversation, the night getting more and more _tedious._

“Madame Marie, to what do I owe this _pleasure_? To be graced with such beauty.” A blush rises upon the middle aged woman's face as she rises from a curtsy, Jaehwan keeps himself from rolling his eyes, some people are s _o easily pleased._

“Oh, Lord Lee, please address me comfortably. We are friends, after all.” A shy smile is flashed in his direction, but he blinks with indifference.

“Indeed.” Jaehwan takes a careful sip, assessing the woman. 

“Well, Marie, I must say I am _surprised_ to see you here, it is not your usual crowd.” Jaehwan gestures around, trying to make conversation, simply because he has too many eyes on him. It would be beneficial to make peace with the Dubois Family, hence his hesitancy to turn Marie away.

Marie looks around the ballroom and nods absently, hooking a hand around Jaehwan’s arm, like it is a _natural_ and _familiar_ act. It is not like Jaehwan _cares_ what the woman does, what crowd she keeps, she is not fun or interesting enough to deserve his curiosity. The crowd is not exactly Jaehwan's type either, too few vampires, too many sorcerers. Not to mention the decor is _oh_ so awful. Why in the name of all that is unholy would anyone use _brown curtains_ when the walls are painted _burgundy brocade_. Someone needs to be fired, _or killed_ , for committing the crime that is bad contrast.

The vapid woman says something about making connections and meeting a minister from another country, but Jaehwan's interest sparks at a particular sentence 

“A ship you say?” he asks, interrupting the woman mid-sentence, she looks mildly offended at the disturbance but answers still.

“ _Yes_ Lord, they say a boat has stopped at the shore. Not much crew to be seen but it is large and glorious, though no one has yet come out for any sort of trade or _god_ _forbid_ to attack and pillage.”

“Interesting,” Jaehwan trails off and hums, mostly to himself, thinking of all the possibilities. The night perhaps isn't too dull after all.

“ _Quite_. It is said to be leaving soon, but it has been years since a real pirate ship sailed here. Even _if_ there is no Jolly Roger flag to be seen, it is obviously so.” She leans closer like the topic is a conspiracy. 

“There was quite a commotion when it arrived, children and women all as spectators, gathered at the fish market.” 

Jaehwan does not pay her any more attention, but she is still talking about things that do not interest him when he addresses her again.

“Excuse me Marie, _my dear_ , I must take my leave. Truly a shame to leave you alone on this beautiful night, but I'm afraid I have business to attend to.” He softly unfurls her grip on his forearm, and bows to kiss her hand. She doesn't look happy to be left alone, but she smiles politely still at Jaehwan's flourished bow. 

He says his goodbyes to the few people he knows, and to the host, a very old man who looks old despite his immortality. Jaehwan _pities_ those who were turned to immortality at old age, poor saps, doomed to be _ugly_ and _unattractive_ until the end of time. He leaves the mansion, escaping into the night. Under the guise of darkness, unnatural speed in his steps and the lunar glow lighting his way, he skips from shadow to shadow with ease but more caution than he has used in decades. _He wasn't being hunted before,_ he grits his teeth at the thought. 

The moonlight filters through the canopy of the dense forest, no chipper of birds or hooting of owls, all frightened away by his presence. Most creatures tend to keep distance, in fear of an untamed werebeast, blood thirsty vampire, faun or cynocephalus; any of the creatures that haunt the night. Everyone is _wise enough_ to keep a distance, _except_ for this one hunter. An amused smile crawls on Jaehwan's face, flashing his elongated fangs. He has not had this much fun in years, it is exciting and altogether thrilling. Unlike the countless before, this hunter has actually come _very_ close to finding him. It amuses Jaehwan. Humans were so _puny_ and _over-confident_. 

He skips his way happily, many thoughts twirling in his mind, but most returning to the ship that may provide him a way out. A chance for adventure, and tedious repetitive routine. Jaehwan halts, when he suddenly feels magic _fizzle_ in the air. His vision is of course sharp, but blocked by the many trees, only able to feel the presence of a passerby. A _werebeast,_ he concludes after discerning the presence more carefully. Jaehwan lowers into a crouch, unafraid, as the un-shifted creature would be unable to smell him. 

When he can no longer feel the magic tingling at the nape of his neck, he resumes his journey. It is not that he is scared or too _weak_ to face another creature, but merely wishes to avoid any unnecessary encounters with beings he does not know to full capacity. An old vampire like him has experienced far too many tedious territory battles, and it no longer amuses him enough to toy with feral werebeasts. More energy than they were _worth_ , in his mind.

Jaehwan has much better things to do, after all. The night is young, and he has _preparations_ to make. Somewhere not far away, someone else has the same idea.

~~~

“You are leaving?” Jongin asks flatly, still laying on the bedspread. The covers are draped low over his abdomen, too thin for the weather, but the fire from the other side of the room had warmed the air. Wonshik moves around the room restlessly, already dressed in his garments and his coat. His impending journey was unpredictable, but if the weather was harsh, Wonshik would be prepared. He collects his bear skin bag, filled too little for his personal preference, but it would suffice for now. Another town, another opportunity.

Wonshik moves quietly, ignoring the question altogether, socked feet making minimal sound on the wooden surface as he collects his belongings. He slides knives into the interior pockets of his robes, hiding an extra in his boot, as one can never be too cautious. He puts a chunk of prepared piece of meat in the bag, hoping he won't have to eat it, praying for fresh food upon his journey.

When he completes his tasks, weapons and money gathered, a compass hangs around his neck. The chain is worth far too much for how it looks, but the value is what counts. Wonshik walks towards the bedspread, which has fallen half on the cold floor, slightly raised above on the ground by a makeshift wooden frame. He sits down on one side as Jongin has already sat up, his hair mussed from sleep and eyes squinting, sleep remnant still. Their eyes meet for a time, and neither of them speak, but when they do its his friend who breaks the silence first. 

“Be _safe_ Wonshik,” Jongin sighs, “Write for help, if so required.”

“I wish that a day would not come where I send for help, but if it indeed does, I shall.” To that, a small smile creeps onto the other man's handsome face.

“Where do you plan to go, or will it be a secret once more? You know, I _would_ be more at ease knowing where you are, but you always choose to keep me in the dark.” Wonshik chuckles, a deep and comforting sound.

“You are _well aware_ , Jongin, that I do not set destinations. But, if it eases your mind, I am headed East it seems.” Jongin raises an eyebrow and Wonshik continues, 

“There was talk in the market when I went out to trade. The old fish merchant’s daughter, _outside of flirting_ , talked a great deal about a ship that sailed here two moons ago.”

Wonshik pauses, pondering once again whether it is wise for him to seek travel on a ship with people he does not know, but he shrugs it aside. There had already been enough thinking, and it would be many more moons until he could find a ride to another city, and by his luck it wouldn't be far enough for his liking. A ship that sails East promises _distance_ , perhaps even across the country. He considers whether he should tell Jongin that the ship does sail across the country, but he holds back. Friendship aside, everything else in his survival instinct advises him to not reveal too much. He has learned the hard way that life truly has no friends, and no foes.

Jongin, ever so patient, waits for him to continue while looking intently still at Wonshik. The cover has fallen to loosely cover his waist, his golden skin shining in the golden light of the lantern hanging high up, and affection fills Wonshik's heart. He may have learned to never trust anyone completely, but he knows he can find comfort in some very special people.

“The girl talked far too much about the beauty and magnificence of the ship, but the merchant said there were talks that the ship is accepting passengers, those who wish to sail across. I decided that it is a good time to leave, while an opportunity has presented itself.”

Jongin nods, a small but thoughtful frown on his face. Wonshik leans forward, pressing his lips lightly to the other's unresponsive mouth. 

“Do not be concerned, we'll soon find another heist to do together, like we always do.” The words ring true: over the years, very few things have been constant in Wonshik’s life, and Jongin has been one of them. Wonshik can't say their friendship is built on any sort of good basis, they _do_ team up to steal and rob after all, but they have had fun during all the years of crimes and adventures together. Somehow, whether it's after a short time or many months, they always find each other once more.

“Who said I was _concerned_? _Please_ Wonshik, I do not care so much.” Jongin says mockingly, a playful smile forming on his face as he blinks sleep further away. 

“Go back to sleep, it is barely dawn.” Wonshik whispers, pulling the cover higher upon his friend's frame, tucking the sheet over his shoulders. As he stands, he hears Jongin whisper ‘ _safe travels_ ’ softly at him, but Wonshik is already walking out of the room and onto the deserted street. Night time still has it's veil thrown over the town, but dawn is imminent, so he slinks towards the port under the guise of shadow. 

Wonshik does not glance back, he never does. He knows it will do no good to regret his actions. The town has nothing left for him, and it will never welcome him to stay. For someone like him, there will never be a permanent home, and so he leaves in the darkness. The blinding dawn and the sun would bring too many of his secrets, _and crimes_ , to light. 

~~~

Boisterous music did nothing to ease Sanghyuk’s _foul_ mood, the cheap ale in his hand swaying dangerously as he returns to his seat in the corner of the tavern. The seaside town clearly had a large population of sailors, and those who were enticed by the sea-faring life, and apparently this was where they both congregated. Giggling women with heavy dresses being spun around by men, who smelled a little too much like sweat to be actually attractive in Sanghyuk’s opinion, dancing around each other in the cramped space. 

The pirate had not yet been recognized by any of the townsfolk, preferable in his opinion, spending his nights eavesdropping. The rumours had swirled through the tavern daily, intensely when he had first arrived, but with time the gossip had both become less common but more outlandish. 

“Did you hear there’s a _pirate_ _ship_ at the pier? I heard it’s a famous ship, one that’s brought down _countless_ naval ships!” A slurring woman presses her hand to her forehead as though she were about to faint, causing the three muscular men surrounding her to offer a hand. Sanghyuk snorts into his beverage, the foam tickling his upper lip. If anyone had ever gotten into a naval battle with his ship, he was the _first_ to know they’d be sunk. Impressive and well kept as the glorious wooden vessel was, Sanghyuk was the only crew member. One man does not make a battleship.

The reminder makes the young man’s upper lip curl, his eyes scanning for anyone who would be suitable to join him. A bunch of drunkards and glory seekers, spreading tales of experiences that were clearly untrue. Sanghyuk doubted the haggard man next to him would know what to do if he had seen a mermaid, much less spearing it. 

“I swear, I _saw_ it! It had long pink hair and a fish tail!” The man shook his hands, demanding that everyone around him listen to his story.

“The slimy bugger tried to escape, but I had my harpoon in hand and wasn’t going to let it get away!” A woman wearing a crooked hat gasped, clearly _enthralled_ , asking what happened next in breathy tones.

“I managed to spear it right through the gullet,” the sailor indicates to his own belly, smiling proudly.

“Dragged the mermaid on board all on my lonesome, they flop around just like a mackerel.”

Sanghyuk rolled his eyes, knowing well that mermaids were a myth. The man caught the pirate’s disbelief, _scowling_ at the young captain.

“You think I’m lying, do you?” The sailor snarled, leaning dangerously forward, drawing more eyes in the pirate’s direction.

“ _Obviously_. Where is this mermaid corpse? _Produce it_ , and I shall believe you.” Sanghyuk tips his drink in a silent cheers to his promise, the eyes that were focused on him turning back to the storyteller. The older man spluttered, clearly offended at being doubted.

“I _unfortunately_ cannot, my captain kept the carcass for himself, the _bastard_.” The sailor spits to the side, clenching his teeth.

“Probably going to sell it, thing’s worth a fortune.” His over-exaggerated gestures spilling his own drink onto Sanghyuk’s leather boots: the final straw. The tall man stands and looks at the scandalized crowd, who whisper to themselves about the validity of the tale.

“No mermaid then, and you’re a _liar_.” Sanghyuk grins with a venom, and struts away, leaving the den of gasping fools in his wake. Anyone who fell for a story like that was too gullible, too _weak_ to be of any value. None of them would work out in Sanghyuk’s crew; only the strongest survived a pirate’s life.

The soles of his boots thudding against the cobblestone streets, Hyuk follows the familiar trail back to his home. His _empty, useless home_. The ale is drying into the leather, the tangy scent being carried away by the ocean breeze. The town he had docked in was lively during the day, the market being the only useful place. Sanghyuk wondered if the fishmonger and his family were spreading the gossip well enough, details he had carefully fed them on his few trips to their stall. If people followed his trail of breadcrumbs well enough, he’d be able to leave the hellhole soon.

Sanghyuk’s prison and love looms over his person in the moonlight, majestic and softly rocking. He cursed the destiny that led to him inheriting a ship with no crew, cursing his father who hired men with no loyalty. His rough fingertips traced the old, dark wood of the hull, a reverent smile tugging at his lips. He _would_ find a crew, and would finally sail the ship as a real pirate captain. He _would_ surpass his father, and every captain before him. Sanghyuk _would_ amass riches beyond his wildest dreams, and die a more glorious death than his father, passing away in his sickbed. He would have _everything_ he wanted.

The pirate climbs the side of the ship, using the gun ports as footholds to arrive upon the main deck. With a sigh, Sanghyuk meanders towards the captain’s cabin. The sway of the ship in the water soothing his nerves as he closes the wooden door behind him, reaching to light a candle. Nimble fingers break the wax pillar from where it has melted onto the table, drawing it to his face for the slight warmth it brought. 

Sparing a look towards the unmade bed, thin and uncomfortable, Hyuk turns and exits the cabin. It would be another sleepless night for the man who felt doomed to be landlocked _forever_. His feet carried him to the side of the deck away from the pier, peering down at the shimmering reflection of the moon in the black water. Salty air filling his lungs, the wood creaking under his feet causing his shoulders to relax further. A flash of purple catches his eye, flitting away from his peripheral vision as a far-off _splash_ resounds. 

Blowing out his candle to avoid the glare, Sanghyuk strains his eyes to see the silhouette of a rock raised above the sea level. The crash of the waves protesting it’s disturbance of their path, and nothing else to be seen. The pirate frowns to himself, lower lip jutting out. He can’t have seen _anything_ , of course.

~~~

There was _nothing_ Hakyeon loved more than the evening breeze brushing his skin in a gentle caress, lazing upon his favourite rock, only his tail fin was dipped into the chilled water. The merman was bathed in the soft moonlight, tracing constellations in the air. Hakyeon has listened to the stories travellers told, often about how they navigated using the stars as guides. Through the years, it had made him _ache_ for such a mundane adventure, instead of allowing the turbulent waves to guide him in the right direction. The merman wondered if the stars were kinder than the sea. 

Every now and then the fin at the end of his tail would sway forward in the water, as the waves beckoned him back to the depths. The shimmering violet of his scales shined into the darkness, as the moon and stars observed him back. 

It was the sound of a solemn _sigh_ , carried away by the wind, that pulled him out of his reverie. 

Steps followed. Heavy boots _clanking_ against the weathered wood, in a rhythm that accompanied the restless waves. A familiar figure was contoured by the moonlight, as the human came to a stop at the end of the pier. 

A _peculiar_ one he was, that human. 

Observing humans had begun as something that Hakyeon did in order to pass time, but slowly he had grown interested in their lives, to the point of never straying from the shore in recent years. What brought them _joy_ , what _angered_ them; sometimes he merely settled for listening to all the tales they had to share. Should he ever muster up the courage to walk among them as one of their kind, he wanted to be accustomed with their habits. 

The human standing before him, however, was a whole different kind of entity. While most humans enjoyed company, this one basked in solitude; so it seemed to Hakyeon. In a ritual of sorts, the merman would watch the human return to his ship every day, after the sun had set. The tall man would retire in the confines of his cabin, but not before reverently setting the palm of his hand on the hull, his fingers gliding over the smooth surface. In unadulterated curiosity, Hakyeon would search those eyes, which always sparkled with an emotion he could not read. 

Once the human vanished inside the cabin, the last footsteps echoing off the deck in his wake, Hakyeon rolled back to face the sky once again. His thoughts were no longer focused on the stars. Instead, he wondered – he wondered _why_ , in all the time he’d watched the human from afar, he’d never had any company. He did not suppose that humans were _solitary_ creatures by nature, based on the others he had previously observed. He wondered why, although his ship was more grandiose than many others he’d spotted along the shore, it had never left where it was tied. Was this human, this sailor, not _longing_ to sail it into the unknown? 

_Peculiar_ he was, indeed. The thought made Hakyeon’s eyes sparkle with delight, finding such an interesting creature. 

As Hakyeon revelled in the comforting sounds of waves crashing into the rock he lay upon, causing light droplets to spray his skin, the sound of wood creaking startled him. With little grace that he’d _never_ lacked before, he slipped off the rock into the water with a loud splash. Praying that he wouldn’t attract any unwanted attention, the merman hid behind the rock for good measure, working on bringing his heartbeat back to a normal rate. 

Time seemed to have slowed as he listened for any hint at the movements of the other. The night was once more engulfed in the sounds of the sea, so he risked a peek from behind the rock. The sight that awaited him was the human, back out on the deck, leaning firmly against the railing. The moonlight cast shadows which outlined his sharp features, and it was then that Hakyeon noticed – his brow scrunched into a frown, as his eyes scanned the horizon. 

He then knew that his mishap hadn’t gone as unnoticed as intended, so he dove into the sea before he could be spotted.


	2. Chapter 2

As the dawn comes closer to the horizon, the vampire gets faster on his feet. The people sleep deep into the night and the city is abandoned, left at the mercy of the creatures of the night, to reign as they please. The dim light of the moon hanging low in the sky illuminates the stony path, just enough to make it across. The sun has not yet shown it's rays, but it would do so soon.

  
  
In the silence of the night, only broken by the whisper of the wind inaudible to human ears, Jaehwan runs. He runs quietly, long limbs making long strides upon the path carved through the trees, a little away from the city grounds. A path that no _human_ would take, only a fool who desires death.

  
  
There are rumours, of all kinds, as there would always be. Jaehwan has heard enough in his time in this city: how the roads lead to the caverns of the ‘old witch’, or how these trees house ogres and trolls. The area does, as a matter of fact, have trolls, but no ogres. _Nasty beings_ , Jaehwan thinks, wrinkling his nose. He does not easily forget the time when a bloody ogre dropped a whole cauldron of stew made from onions and beetroot on him. He remembers tearing the creature’s head from his body with little effort; it took two weeks to get the stench out of his nose.

  
  
His thoughts and feet carry him to his destination, a small cottage on the top of the hill. It looks a bit too domestic and home-y, Jaehwan thinks, for the kind of business it actually houses. Jaehwan does not knock but does not enter either, throwing the door open. The door hits the back wall with a loud thud, rattling the frame, and the many charms and trinkets that hang throughout the shop.

  
  
"Ah, so it is _you_. I could smell trouble and ignorance an hour before your arrival." A small man walks out of a side room to give Jaehwan a stare and unimpressed look.

  
  
"Charmed to see you too, sorcerer." Jaehwan grins, making a point to show his fangs, but as always his host is not fazed.

  
  
"If you do this again-" Jaehwan cuts the shorter man off.

" _Yes_ , yes. I forgot you aren't a sorcerer, Kyungsoo."

  
  
" _Hmph_." The man turns to search his shelves. Jaehwan laughs quietly, he always has fun with the man and his short temper.

  
"I know it is that you demand," Jaehwan isn't surprised. The vampire still doesn't know who - or rather _what_ \- Kyungsoo is, but he supposes deducing the purpose of visitors is not an impressive or hard feat for the man.

"It will come at a price, that I am not sure you are _willing_ to pay."

  
  
"Ah, but you know me better than that, _dear_ friend of mine. You know the _lengths_ I am willing to go to."

  
  
"Hmm," another short sound and Jaehwan is ignored by the man for another few minutes as he leaves the room and Jaehwan’s line of sight. The vampire _could_ cross the door and go inside, but only if he were a fool. He may not know what specific kind of magic flows through this place, but he is very much sure it is not harmless to his kind. And if not harmful, there are too many charms that may mess with his head. There is always the chance of witches draining or stealing drops of someone's soul or their life source, simply by luring them into their domain.

  
  
Kyungsoo returns with a bag, the contents clinking, indicating the presence of glass.  
He hands it to Jaehwan without question, turning to walk away when Jaehwan puts a hand to stop him. 

"Do not try me, _witch_ , it is my decision to do as I please."

  
  
"It is dangerous, for you and me both." The short man replies quietly, not bothering to look at him or shake his hand off.

  
" _I_ shall decide what endangers me, creature. And I do not give a _damn_ about you, as I shall be paying a price for it." Jaehwan's voice is low but his tone dangerous. He admits that he is not like this often, but it has been a long night.  
  


"Very well," with that Kyungsoo leaves once again.  
Jaehwan takes out a small box from the pocket of his coat and opens it to inspect his payment. It is a small vial of his blood, frozen. A small shimmering in it indicates the magic being alive still.  
He hands the small box to the man once he returns, his mind secretly not quite at ease with the act. Vampire blood is too dangerous to be in _anyone's_ hands, even if the amount is small. It poses a bigger threat to the owner, rather than to the dealer. But Jaehwan reminds himself that he has no choice, and it will be alright.

  
  
The vampire leaves the cottage, and starts walking fast down the stone path. One hand firmly holds the bag he received, and the other gripping the small packet of ground powder that would keep the blood's magic alive, effective for sustenance.

  
  
At the end of the path, where the light of the many street lanterns starts illuminating the road, Jaehwan slips into the shadows with supernatural ease. A steady heartbeat approaches him with lazy steps. He listens, enjoying the sound of the heart _thumping_ and blood _flowing_ through the veins of the unsuspecting human.

  
  
The vampire does not feel any guilt nor does he hesitate when he launches forward, grasping the human with his bare hands, muffling the cries with indifference. He drags the man into the shadows with him, and without another second lost, sinks his teeth in the man's throat.

  
  
The sky colours red. A scream drowned out by the early din of the market. A heartbeat slows, then stops under Jaehwan’s cruel and unflinching attack.

  
  
The vampire wipes his lips, letting out a satisfied groan, straightening his collar. He begins his journey once again.

~~~

Sanghyuk groans, attempting to bury his bury his face into the pillow, cursing bloody murder at whomever opened the curtains of his cabin. Then, in his sleep filled brain, he remembers that he _had no crew_ and no one else but him is present. He groans, shuffling off the bed to close the small linen curtains that he had forgotten the night before.

He lays back, hoping to force himself to fall back to sleep, but no luck. He stays there, on the lilac colored sheets and a pillow over softened by use, staring aimlessly at the roof. The wooden room is old, and there and many nails sticking out from various places. There is a small crack in the roof, from which light is seeping in. 

Sanghyuk has the cabin memorized due to the many days and nights he had spent laying in the bed; _nothing_ to do, no people to talk to, no treasures to hunt down. It had been a very tedious routine for him over the last few months; the most he would do is go out to whichever town he had docked at, spending his time aimlessly wandering around the market, listening to mindless gossip and groundless rumors from the local merchants. He would on occasion go to a bar, like he had the previous evening, in hopes to find a man or two that he can recruit, but no such luck yet.

After another few moments of staring blankly, he sighs and rolls out of bed. It would do him _no good_ to be lazy, but then again, it is not like the day beholds _any_ other activity. 

After washing and preparing a breakfast of the salmon and bread, Sanghyuk sits at the makeshift dining table on the main deck, turning to eat his food half-heartedly.

It is still early, the sun not yet brightening the hue of the sky completely, but Sanghyuk often indulged in the habit of waking up at dawn ever since he was young. Watching the sun rise, slowly casting it's light over the ocean, the clear water shining like diamonds when the light hits it. The ocean was magnificent at this time of the day, and it was everything Sanghyuk was in love with: freedom and beauty.

He eats in silence, the peace broken by seagulls and an odd crow. There is still time until the residents of the town open their business, Sanghyuk's ship quite a distance from the housing or market area, but still the chatter and noises carry all the way to the port.

Sanghyuk has been here for four days now, taking in the scenery and visiting the city, but he has not found anything he had hoped to when he sailed here. He thinks it's time to leave, mentally listing all the things he needs to restock before he sets sail _again_. Amidst these thoughts, the sound of boots breaks his train of thought, getting nearer and nearer until Sanghyuk is sure they are headed his way. The footsteps make heavy, _oppressive_ sounds as they climb the stairs to board his ship. 

The pirate watches with curiosity, his food forgotten as a mop of black hair appears in his sight. A body soon follows, revealing a man now standing a few feet away from him. Sanghyuk takes in the appearance of the visitor; the man is of good height, thick black hair and clear features give him an attractive look, eyes slightly drooping in a sleepy look. He has a bag slung over his shoulder, a long coat with a belt around the middle. He is well built, _almost_ as broad as Sanghyuk, and appears only slightly older than the young pirate. Altogether the man has a nice and civilized appearance. Sanghyuk admires the man's courage; while looking like a very normal man overall, having the courage to climb a pirate ship head first is _something else altogether_. Sudden hope blooms in Sanghyuk's chest, this trip may not have been fruitless after all.

“ _Can I help you?_ ” Sanghyuk asks when the other man doesn't speak first and a grin forms on the stranger's face.

“Yes, I think you can,” the man struts confidently closer to Sanghyuk, with no fear or hesitation. Does Sanghyuk not look scary enough? He thought he had the whole ‘ _scary, tough, intimidating pirate captain’_ thing down _._

_“_ I heard you were accepting passengers.” Sanghyuk nods, looking up at the stranger sharply from his seat on the wooden chair. The man was now basically at his front. 

“I also heard you were sailing East.” 

Sanghyuk nods again, though it wasn’t exactly a question, and the stranger smiles. The small quirk of his thin lips brings Sanghyuk immediately to the opinion that the man is indeed _very handsome_ when he smiles.

“Well then, that's exactly where you can help me. I was looking for transport, and I heard about your ship from the townspeople.”

“You heard the truth. Welcome aboard, _Mister_?”

“Kim Wonshik,” the stranger- _Wonshik_ offers his hand to shake and Sanghyuk stands up from his chair to shake it. 

Wonshik takes a step back, supposedly taken aback at Sanghyuk's height and Sanghyuk smiles, satisfied at being a centimetre or two taller than the other man.

“Captain Han Sanghyuk, pleased to make your acquaintance.” 

~~~

Long coat fluttering in the breeze, Taekwoon _storms_ through the dusk, cursing the hunter that consistently tempted his wrath. Lee Hongbin was perhaps one of the most _infuriating_ humans he had ever come across, a ranking was difficult to beat over Taekwoon’s _extensive_ years. An oblivious looking man crosses the werewolf’s path, paying no attention to anything but the street lamps he had clearly been hired to light. Taekwoon’s eye twitches, mortals _never_ learned to fear the night fully, tempting fate whenever they could.

The mortal that had been plaguing the werewolf’s mind leans against a stone wall, feigning ignorance of his presence. Taekwoon was not enough of a _fool_ to believe the hunter wasn’t fully aware of his arrival, allowing himself a few moments to marvel at the human’s gall.

“ _Hunter_.” The werewolf kicks lightly at the man’s leg, who appears to be in a better mood than their previous meeting. Perhaps the younger believed he was closer to his goal; Taekwoon didn’t care.

“ _Beast_.” Hongbin’s head didn’t raise, his eyes pointedly watching the tavern across the street. 

“Are you ready to depart? Any _wolf pups_ accounted for and notified?” The hunter’s dimples flash, before he kicks off the wall and breaks into a fast pace, knowing the werewolf will follow. Taekwoon has a sour taste in his mouth at trusting the judgement of this man, who so _clearly_ did not value his own safety. 

The man and the immortal walk in a staggered formation, Taekwoon’s boots dragging over the cobblestones. The early evening sky casting ominous shadows over the land, drunken uproar fading away as they approach the docks. Mist rolls in over the steady waves, silhouetting the ship they intend upon. 

“Final chance to change your mind, and allow me to end your existence.” The dimples are sharper in the low light, mussed brown hair dripping over the haunted eyes. Taekwoon ponders the sanity of his companion and slave-driver, taking the first step onto the wooden pier. It creaks with age and weathering.

“ _Ah_ , so our fates are sealed.”

Hongbin tilts his head curiously, assessing the creature he follows closely. Taekwoon’s hair is tied loosely by a leather strip, strands escaping in the breeze. The hunter’s eyes darkened as the werewolf turned away, aware of the danger of being trapped amidst the ocean with a _rage-filled shape shifter_ . He would have to _attempt_ toning down his insulting perhaps, which admittedly may be harder than it should be. Vampire hunters are not known to be incredibly good with socializing, after all. _Especially_ with creatures of the night.

Low murmuring becomes audible as the two climb the stairs, Taekwoon leading the way. As Hongbin steps out from behind the taller man, he is greeted by the sight of two men who look warily in their direction. The younger looking man exchanges a glance with his companion, who raises an eyebrow.

“Can I help you _gentlemen_?” The question isn’t asked delicately, the young man clearly judging the new arrivals.

“We seek to travel East, we will work upon your vessel in the meantime.” Hongbin says it as a statement, his tone implying boredom. The hunter and the sailor stare at each other for a moment before the air shifts, the younger man turning to look at Taekwoon warily. 

“ _Captain_ Han Sanghyuk.” Hongbin flashes a charming smile at the introduction, contrasting his previous expression.

“Lee Hongbin, and my _companion_ is Jung Taekwoon.” Sanghyuk’s eyes appraise the werewolf, squinting at the displeased scowl gracing his sharp features.

" _Pleasure_." Sanghyuk mutters, his expression anything but pleased.

"This is Kim Wonshik, he too will be joining us on our journey to the East." The young man indicates, introducing the other man who leans against the side of the deck. Wonshik smiles, Hongbin doesn't bother to reciprocate.

"Consider yourselves hired, I hope to get along on our long journey. It would be best to not make me regret the decision, since I do not know you _gentlemen_." The pirate’s words drip with suspicion and sarcasm as he draws out 'gentlemen'.

Taekwoon sniffs audibly, looking towards the captain and walks a few steps aside, trailing a finger over the dusty wood.

“Forgive me if I'm _wrong_ but you appear to be quite _young_ ," the werewolf turns his head, throwing a smirk towards the pirate. 

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing, _Captain_?” He asks, challenging. The hunter grins, well aware of the werewolf’s apparent inability to take disrespect. Sanghyuk’s eyes narrow as he stands, the younger man a few inches taller than the beast and Hongbin wants to cackle _hysterically_.

“While that may be true, _respected elder_ , this is also _my_ ship.” The captain leans forward a degree, adding fuel to the fire.

“If you deem me an unacceptable leader at _any_ point, you are _most_ welcome to depart. Perhaps make that choice now though, as you do not strike me as a talented swimmer.” The jab is a lie, the werewolf’s shoulders are the broadest of _all_ men present, but the young man shows a tenacity that Hongbin enjoys.

The hunter steps forward, offering a hand to whichever man wants to take it.

“I think we shall get along _famously_ , Sanghyuk.”

~~~

Wonshik watches on with interest, leaning against the side of the deck where he and Sanghyuk had been sitting on the barrels. The newcomers do not look like ordinary people at all, despite appearances; the beautiful cold one looks sharp and dangerous, his stance hinting at honed survival skills. While the taller with the long black hair - which suits him quite well - has an almost _cat-like_ feel to him, but his eyes are positively _predatory_.  
  
It would be wise, Wonshik thinks, not to mess with that one. But when has he ever enjoyed being cautious? The thief admits, only to himself, that both men have caught his attention; not in a way that a shiny metal catches a feline's attention, but in a way that Wonshik wants to _possess_. He is a reckless being, over the years playing with fire and laughing in the face of danger, and the fire in the beautiful one's eyes makes Wonshik want to _break_ him.  
  
Sanghyuk turns around, a satisfied look on his face in contrast to frown at the long haired one's words earlier. Wonshik hadn't heard what, he was preoccupied with his thoughts, but he did not miss the way the beautiful one scowled at him when he smiled. Wonshik grins, this will be an _interesting_ voyage indeed.  
  
He watches, from his position, as Sanghyuk returns to his cabin; their conversation clearly forgotten. But no matter, they were done regardless. Wonshik had readily accepted the deal to perform duties on the ship, in exchange for transportation. In their brief chattering, Wonshik got the impression that Sanghyuk was as inexperienced as he was young. The man was searching for a loyal and effective crew, after apparently the last members did not sit well with his standards. Wonshik chuckled lowly, without humour. It was sweet to see the young pirate, dreaming of grand adventures and fame, thinking he could grasp the world in his hands by sheer force of his youth and passion. He would learn, as Wonshik had, that the world can not be attained through any means. It is useless to dream. The only thing that truly matters is survival.  
  
Wonshik is broken out of his reverie by the snap of fingers in front of his face. The beautiful one stands in front of him, arms crossed across his chest. He looks annoyed and bored, an eyebrow raised. Wonshik, in response, raises an eyebrow of his own.  
  
"Were you not paying attention? The Captain instructed you to show us to our quarters." His tone is exasperated, Wonshik could tell his patience wearing thin. It was an attractive expression on the man.

“Ah, did he? Follow me then.” Wonshik gives his best smirk to both men, earning a huff from the beautiful one, and a growl from the long haired one. 

They make their way inside the ship in silence, broken only by the scraping of heavy boots on the wooden floor and the gentle swaying of waves beneath. The thief smiles to himself, his own shoes are made of much better quality leather than the men following him.

Once inside, Wonshik points to the rooms. “Pick whichever, I suppose. We are the only residents.” There were six cabins on board, five in the lower level, only the Captain's and Wonshik's currently occupied. Wonshik smirks, while he may be envious of Sanghyuk’s quarters on the main deck, at least the thief would be close to these two.

The long haired one silently enters the closest room, passing by Wonshik and the thief thinks even his scent is _different_. 

The beautiful one doesn't move though. 

“Would you two gentlemen be _sharing_?” Wonshik asks; he isn't truly curious, but somehow he knows the response will be amusing. 

“Is that _any_ of your concern, Wonshik? I think not.” The other gives Wonshik a toothy smile, poison dripping from his tone. As they stand in the small corridor, Wonshik can tell he has very few centimetres on the man.

“I apologize for the intrusion, you two just appeared close Mister-” Wonshik realizes he doesn't know their names. Perhaps it would be wise to pay more attention.

“Lee Hongbin,” _Hongbin_ supplies. 

“I _thought_ the introductions were made at the deck.” A perfect eyebrow rarely lowers from his judgmental expression.

“ _Were_ they?” Wonshik chuckles, his tone playful. _Hongbin_ \- it's a fitting name for someone so beautiful, he thinks. 

“I was preoccupied, I apologize.”

“Oh, I see. That begs the question, what wonders have your thoughts been occupied with, _Wonshik?_ ” Hongbin asks, leaning against the wall, crossing his arms; his tone filled with irony. Seems like he enjoys teasing, Wonshik realizes. _Two_ can play that game, Wonshik thinks amused.

“I was too _engrossed_ by your beauty, to pay attention to anything - no, any _one_ else.” Wonshik's voice drops an octave as he leans in to whisper the words to Hongbin, bringing their faces into close proximity.

Hongbin, surprisingly, _blushes_ a beautiful dark shade of red. Wonshik was immediately and thoroughly convinced that there was _no_ sight more beautiful than a blushing Hongbin. 

He leans back, scanning Hongbin's red yet somehow still blank face. While the shorter man doesn't reply, he maintains wary eye contact until Wonshik speaks. 

“I shall leave you now, to settle in.” Wonshik smiles one last time and walks away, feeling _quite satisfied_.

~~~

The sun had set about an hour ago, but warmth is still in the air, gentle in contrast to the ocean's coldness. Sanghyuk steps out of his room, freshly shaved and dressed in clean clothes. He runs his fingers through his hair, attempting to sooth the wet locks.

His shoes make no sound on the wooden boards as he makes his way idly across the deck, almost expecting one of his new companions to be there, but there is no one. He wonders, just for a brief moment, what they are up to. The merchant, _Wonshik_ , said he would go to the market for some supplies before they set sail. He had not seen the other two men since the afternoon.

The pirate thoughtlessly walks up to the forecastle, leaning on the corner to stare into the ocean and the ever darkening sky. There aren't many thoughts occupying his mind, which has been eased quite a bit after the three men came along. After a long time, things appear to have lightened up. It does worry Sanghyuk a bit, recruiting strangers could be asking for trouble, but he wouldn't know who to trust and keep unless he takes the chance. The cold wind hits his damp hair, causing Sanghyuk to shiver at the chilly air. Perhaps it was not wise to come out in this weather, catching a cold would be a bastard in this season. 

Sanghyuk turns around, only to freeze in his spot. There is someone sitting on the bowsprit. The shadow appears to be a man, his legs dangling on both sides and his hands placed on the wooden pole in front of him. Sanghyuk realizes quickly that the man is too far up the wood, almost at the end. The pirate opens his mouth to say something, but thinks better of alerting the intruder. Instead he shuffles backwards, eyes fixed on the figure, grabbing his sword from where it has been hanging on the mast. The man doesn't move, but Sanghyuk hears a soft humming. He walks quietly and slowly, taking the sword out of his sheath and standing to block the opening between the ship and the bowsprit.

Before Sanghyuk can announce his presence or even form a clever line , the man stands on the bowsprit, his balance perfect and turns around. Sanghyuk watches with careful eyes, his sword pointing towards him, but the man doesn't make a move. Instead the man breaks into a toothy smile, one that is way too bright in the dark.

“ _Hello!_ ” The - possibly insane - man sing songs, tilting his head. In the dark, the pirate can see him eyeing Sanghyuk up and down, taking him in.

“Declare yourself, intruder!” The young captain warns, his voice high and dangerous, but it does nothing to dull the stranger's smile.

“Are _you_ the captain?” He asks, eyes raking Sanghyuk still, like he is something of great interest and wonder. Sanghyuk tries not to waver under the sharp scrutiny, or god forbid, _blush._

“Yes. _State your purpose_ , stranger,” the young man demands, a little softer this time. If it was possible, the stranger smiles even brighter, before walking towards Sanghyuk until he is a mere inch away from the sailor.

When Sanghyuk doesn't move to make way for him to come onto the ship, the man... _pouts_? Lower lip jutting out and eyes dropping into the cutest pout Sanghyuk has ever witnessed on a grown adult. 

“I shall fall, if you do not allow me on-board.”

“ _First_ , state your purpose, intruder. Why did you come here, and not announce your arrival? What business do you have?” The sailor demands, refusing to be swayed by the _adorable_ stranger who stands pouting still, looking like a kicked mutt.

“You are so mean!” The stranger whines. 

“I came to join you on your travel! I merely did not want to intrude, so I did not come seeking you inside the ship.” Sanghyuk squints his eyes, suspicion evident upon his features. 

“Is it so hard to believe? Oh _sweet child_ , not everyone is the world has evil, or bad intents.” The stranger says, mimicking an elderly voice, reaching out to pat Sanghyuk's head and making him take a step back to avoid the touch. 

The stranger takes the opening to jump on the deck gracefully, brushing a hand over his clothes: a simple shirt with a cloth belt tied around the middle, loose pants, high boots. He gives the appearance of a noble, dressed decently, expensive fabrics gracing his skin. The several rings around his fingers, and the chains hanging around his neck, hinting at his obvious wealth.

“Now, _since_ we got off on the wrong foot,” he extends a hand for Sanghyuk to shake. 

“My name is Lord Lee Jaehwan, I shall be grateful for your service to take me across the sea, _Captain_.” _Jaehwan_ grins widely, eyes shining with mischief and amusement.

“Captain Han Sanghyuk, a pleasure-” before he can finish though, Jaehwan takes his face in both his hands, squishing his cheeks and _coos_ . The _fuck_ \- Sanghyuk tries to squirm free, but the grip is strong yet gentle.

“ _Sanghyukkie!_ ” Jaehwan squeals, eyes twinkling. 

“What a cute name! You are practically a baby, with your adorable name!” The man is positively shouting now, squishing Sanghyuk's face like mashed potatoes. Jaehwan’s own face is too close to Sanghyuk's, breath fanning over his face. 

“How are you already a Captain, you sweet little adorable thing?” Sanghyuk tries to groan, but finds it hard with his face squished. 

“Look at your _cute little lips_ , you're like a duck! I will call you ducky!” The young pirate sighs, now completely giving up trying to break free, this is going to be one _hell_ of a journey.


	3. Chapter 3

Taekwoon was violently jolted out of sleep by the sounds of distress, skin chilled with the possibility of an attack. As the werewolf blinks slumber away, sitting up in bed, he realizes that there is in fact no danger. Frustratingly enough, the sounds that awoke him, are from the room next door. Hongbin is whimpering and - is that sobbing? Taekwoon huffs, slamming his head back into the pillow. Nightmares are not unfamiliar to the man, well aware of the shadows that move, but could the hunter at least suffer quietly? 

Pillow held firmly over his ears, Taekwoon glares at the ceiling, praying that Hongbin won’t continue to be so noisy in the night. The other man, Wonshik, was lucky; working the night-watch meant that he was safe from being woken. Taekwoon decided he is envious of the younger man, as now he knew that not only would he work with Hongbin through each day, he would also probably be woken by him nightly. This shall be a long voyage.

Footsteps creak in the wood overhead, Wonshik’s low humming audible through the thin pillow with Taekwoon’s supernatural hearing. The younger man has a comforting voice, the werewolf begrudgingly admits, and he doesn’t appear to be as obnoxious as the Captain. It is unfortunate that the only other person onboard who seemed reasonable would be awake while the werewolf slept, as Hongbin seemed wearily insistent on being paired with the taller man. 

Sanghyuk had gathered the crew in the hallway earlier that evening, Hongbin deciding to continue unpacking his belongings through the conversation.

“There will be a night shift and a day shift, meal times will be at sunrise and sunset. Wonshik has already offered to take the night shift, so perhaps one of you could join him, or take the day shift together.”

“Taekwoon and I will take the day shift.” The hunter stated immediately, looking up from his task and stepping into the hallway. Wonshik’s lips formed a pout, clearly disappointed at some part of the conversation. Sanghyuk blinked with indifference, before he turned to Taekwoon. The werewolf offering nothing but a shrug, and the Captain sighed.

“Wonshik, you shall take the night watch tonight starting at midnight. I know we are not yet sailing, but it will be good to practice. I will give you further details at breakfast, and hopefully we shall be departing tomorrow.”

“I refuse to be paired with that man.” The younger had muttered as he returned to his room, a curious flush high upon his cheeks, after the others had departed. The werewolf wondering why he had been forcefully commandeered as a partner, but not caring enough to ask.

The werewolf unknowingly allowed the hunter to make that choice for him, regretting it intensely now. At least working through day time would perhaps be healthier, or make the hunter less irritable. Both Taekwoon and Hongbin were almost especially pale, lives of hiding in shadow making the sun an unwanted enemy. Taekwoon snorted with little mirth, perhaps they could get a tan. Maybe the hunter would look a little less sour and cold in the sun; perhaps his attractive features might suit the daylight. 

Taekwoon rolls onto his side as a particular loud screech rings in his ears, staring at the wall as though he could see the terrified man next door. What horrors could terrorize a vampire hunter so? A man who so often acted like he was easily prepared for death. It seemed an intriguing topic: it made sense for someone who was aware of many horrible things to be afraid, but for someone who was trained to survive? The werewolf clicked his tongue; whatever scared the hunter, it was keeping him awake now.

Taekwoon sighs and sways onto his back, willing himself back to sleep with difficulty.

Hongbin was never one to sleep at night, and when he did he would always come to regret it.

The dreams were always vague; foggy and unclear, but the nightmares were always clear and they would not go away from his memory even after he rose from his sleep. The nocturnal life had let him avoid them as often as he could; his work, if not constant was often. His official occupation gave him the title ‘vampire hunter’, but in the short years of his life, Hongbin had begun hunting so much more than just vampires. 

The kind of job he did never helped him in any way; he knew that he could recover. With proper therapy and other actions, but that would require Hongbin to distance himself from the very things that haunted his dreams. He had taken a vow, more to himself than anyone else, that he would not rest until the creatures who took everything away from him - twisting his mind and heart irreparably - were all dead.

The hunter wakes up in an unfamiliar bed, not much different than his own bedding in the old log house he owned in the town. The first thing he notices is the large crack in the ceiling, the next is his silver dagger, charmed with many spells and wards. In the wrong hands, or any hands that weren't his own, it would do more than just physical damage. The witch told him it would feed on the life force of the wrong wielder, but Hongbin had yet to test that feature. 

After changing into a better and clean set of clothes, Hongbin checks his appearance in the rough round mirror hanging in the cabin. When assured he looks suitable enough, he moves out to find some water to wash his face. Unfortunately, all parts of the ship looked the same on the lower floors, so it was easy to lose his way. 

He stops in his path at the sound of water splashing on his right, turning to follow the sound. He finds the water bucket and supplies; in front of it is a man hunched, washing his face, engrossed in the task. Hongbin waits until he gets up, and turns to face the hunter. It is a new face, Hongbin does not remember him from yesterday, and he is sure the sailor said there was no other crew.

“Hello!” The man says, too loud and bright in the early hours of the morning. Hongbin scowls. 

The man is tall, Hongbin takes note bitterly - seems like everyone on the ship has a few inches on him. A shudder passes him at the memory of the man leaning into him, his deep voice, the way he had looked at Hongbin. He brushes the sinful thought aside as quickly as it came.

"Rude little creature, aren't you?'' The man pouts, clicking his tongue in disappointment as he wipes his pale hands on a towel.

Hongbin does not reply, it is too early in the morning for pleasantries, especially when the hunter is not feeling so pleasant. Instead he shuffles forward, passing the stranger to kneel in front of the water. He does not notice the other man examining him with a small amount of suspicion before departing the room. 

Hongbin slowly makes his way to the main deck, examining the ship’s internal structure idly as he passes through the dark corridors. 

The sky is clear and bright, despite it being early in the morning. Sanghyuk is leaning on the side of the ship, his hair sticking up in all directions and his hat - an actual pirate hat, Hongbin snorts - held in his hand, as he basks in the warm sun light. Taekwoon too, surprising for someone who seems to hate everything bright and warm, is sitting on the stairs. The werewolf’s long hair falls softly on his shoulders, giving him an almost ethereal look; he looks every bit of the supernatural creature he is, unreal and excessively beautiful in the light. Hongbin tries not to stare, shifting his attention, only to regret it. His eyes meet with Wonshik’s attention, who grins at him before stalking the hunter’s way casually. Hongbin is tempted to run away, already feeling a blush creeping up his neck at the mere sight of this strange man, but he stands his ground with his jaw tensed.

Thank the heavens - before the man can reach Hongbin, a high pitched squeal gathers all their attention.

Hongbin looks at the man from earlier standing in the door leading to the lower levels of the ship, looking scandalized. His face is set in mock horror, a dramatically exaggerated expression, Hongbin rolls his eyes.

"I refuse to step into this blazing sun! My skin is sensitive, and it shall become tanned!" The man announces, high and loud, like a child throwing a tantrum about not wishing to eat his vegetables.

"Good morning, Jaehwan," the sailor says, head still tipped up eyes closed. 

"I see you are both loud and joyful, unlike others in the wee hours of morning, yet do not enjoy the sun - how dramatically ironic." The young man speaks in a flat tone, as someone who had experience dealing with such behavior would. Unbothered. 

Hongbin decides to treat the primadonna the same way.

"I do no such thing; it is simply too hot, I take good measures to keep my colour thank you. I may be traveling with you ruffians, but I refuse to let the pirate life affect my beautiful looks." Jaehwan announces, high and with finality, crossing his arms - still looking like a stubborn child.

Hongbin looks around to find a very amused Wonshik, grinning at the newcomer as though he finds the behavior endearing. Hongbin doesn’t replicate the sentiment. He can already tell this new traveller is going to be a nuisance.

Taekwoon too, looks amused - if only a little - at the antics. Hongbin groans, walking to where breakfast is set out on the makeshift table.

"This is Lord Lee Jaehwan." Sanghyuk seems to finally realize introductions are in order a few minutes later.

"He will be - unfortunately - joining us on our journey to the East." 

“Hello, my name is Wonshik.” The only friendly man says, smiling warmly; Hongbin and Taekwoon don't bother to entertain further. 

"He will be assisting with the divided duties, I have paired him with you Wonshik- " Hongbin decides to tune out. There is no necessity to acquaint himself with every one that decided to join their merry band of fools.

"You're all rude!" Hongbin snaps his head up at the pouty statement, looking baffled at the grown up man - pouting looking like a child. 

"First, the pretty flower ignored me inside the ship, and now you all treat seeme as such. I refuse to appreciate this situation." 

As if they had rehearsed, the other three men turn to look at Hongbin at the mention of the pretty flower. Said man chokes on his bread in surprise, cheeks coloring a little as he snaps a ‘what?’ at them.

When they look away, Hongbin's eyes meet with the werewolf sitting on the stairs, his gaze fixed on Hongbin. They stare at each other for a silent few minutes, Hongbin shifting under the intense inspection. The other man is clearly reading him - examining, and not trying to hide that fact in the least. But the older man doesn't say anything, and eventually tears his gaze away.

Hongbin is left feeling a bit odd the rest of the morning.

Sanghyuk chews on his lower lip, faded map spread over the makeshift table in his cabin. His crew appeared physically strong, hopefully capable of what he required, even though - apart from Wonshik - they all appeared socially inept. After Jaehwan’s commentary on Hongbin’s apparent prettiness, the younger man - despite his thorny personality - had immediately been flustered to the point of silence. Hongbin was a strange creature. Wonshik appeared to find Jaehwan interesting enough to keep him distracted, and Sanghyuk hoped that they would all get along, even if they didn’t like each other. It would help if they did not cause too much trouble, at least Sanghyuk didn't have to worry about Taekwoon on that aspect.

Sailing East was a complicated journey, known for stormy skies and rough seas, many a ship failing the path. Sanghyuk wonders for a moment who he could trust to steer the ship, much less look after the vessel while he sleeps. Wonshik, perhaps, the older man appearing amicable and not as likely as Jaehwan to crash the ship during a tantrum - or simply for fun. 

Jaehwan, ignoring his personality, appeared strong enough to maintain the sails. His apparent agility would help him climb the masts with ease. Perhaps his educated lordship would understand the rigging necessities too. Sanghyuk sighs, hopefully the child-like man would be useful. Maybe none of the others would have to listen to the loud man if he was in the crow’s nest too.

That leaves the quiet pair, Hongbin and Taekwoon. Taekwoon, Sanghyuk felt ambivalent towards, the tall man clearly strong enough to work on a ship. What made the young captain question the elder is the ability to follow instructions. His eyes were sharp and intelligent, but Sanghyuk did not want to converse with him more often than necessary. Perhaps Hongbin would have to steer, then. The captain snorted; pretty flower - pretty indeed, a thorny pretty flower perhaps.

Hongbin seemed to switch quickly between antisocial and friendly, with a constant flow of sarcasm and sass. Sanghyuk would not describe any men aboard as flower-like, including the admittedly handsome man. Hongbin appeared vigilant, however, always aware of his surroundings unless willfully ignorant. He would make a good look-out, but the sharp eyes of Taekwoon would do just fine also. 

Those decisions only left Sanghyuk to decide when he would assist; Taekwoon would probably fight Sanghyuk if left with him too long, and Jaehwan would drive the captain insane within hours. Perhaps he would switch his shifts up as necessary, to guide the crew as they required. Then perhaps, neither Taekwoon or Jaehwan would somehow end his life. 

The compass around his neck jangled as he sat on the bed, rubbing his eyes with resignation. The crew were indeed capable, but appeared as though someone would commit mass murder at any moment. Sanghyuk humorlessly wonders who would snap first. What interesting people he had landed himself with.

Grabbing a piece of parchment and an inked quill, the captain started scribbling messily. Order must be kept, and the interesting crew needed to remember who was in charge. 

As the captain steps out of his cabin, a shrill voice rings out.

“Sanghyukkie! Is it time to leave yet?” Jaehwan screechs from an unseen vantage point.

“Up here, you fool.” A frustrated huff when he failed to find the source of the voice led the young man to look upwards, making eye contact with a widely grinning Jaehwan upon a backdrop of dark clouds.

“Ah, I see you have already found where I will hide your corpse if you continue to call me that.” Sanghyuk murmurs as he waves down the smiling man, who shimmies down the netting with ease. 

“Do you have something for us?” Hongbin’s voice draws Sanghyuk’s attention, the shorter man leaning against the side of the ship lazily. The dark sky again distracting the captain, who frowns.

“Yes, I have allocated what jobs each of you will be doing, and would like to set out some rules. Go fetch the others.” Hongbin raises an eyebrow at the demand, but pushes off to do so, grumbling lowly. Jaehwan waltzes closer to the captain, grin still wide.

“Ah, this weather has improved my mood greatly. I hope it shall continue,” the child-like man gestures to the sky, opening his arms theatrically. Sanghyuk exhales with a small amount of frustration.

“Stormy skies are not good when sailing, Jaehwan. They will only make our work harder.” Jaehwan pouts at the reprimand, his shoulders dropping, but stays silent for once as the other men join them on deck. Before anyone can start another conversation, Sanghyuk takes over.

“Okay, all of you. Job allocations are as such: during the day, Hongbin will steer as necessary, and Taekwoon will be main look out and in charge of the rigging.” Taekwoon appears to open his mouth to protest, but Sanghyuk continues.

“Night time, Wonshik will steer, and Jaehwan, you can continue enjoying the crow’s nest and fixing the sails. I will show you all, how to deal with the rigging before we leave, in case of emergency.” 

“Meal times will be at dawn and dusk, as I have already showed you. Whomever is working will be in charge of preparing the food, which is stored in the cargo hold. The galley is capable of a few cooking options, but preserved food is the most useful. We will also be throwing fishing nets overboard as we travel, to continue our food supplies.” With that, the captain slams the piece of parchment on the makeshift table.

“These are the rules.” All four other men lean closer to read the writing.

Wonshik chuckles.

“Number one, don’t kill each other. Good choice.” Taekwoon’s eyes narrow at the captain at the next rule on the list as he reads.

“Number two, don’t question the captain unless you want to be thrown overboard," he raises a perfect eyebrow, asking 

"Really?” Sanghyuk stands tall, glaring at the long haired man.

“One might say you are questioning me right now, Taekwoon. Let me tell you this once, I will not tolerate people questioning my instructions, as they could be the difference between life or death. No one else here has experience sailing. You need to listen to me.” The captain decides to read off the rest before any more protests arise.

“Number three, do not wake up your fellow crewmates unless it is their time to work or an emergency. Unrested workers lead to accidents, accidents lead to shipwrecks.” Taekwoon, for an unknown reason, switches his glare to an unaware Hongbin.

“Number four, mutiny will lead to execution, fairly self explanatory. Number five, anything spotted by the lookout must be mentioned to the steerer, and I must be woken. This counts towards rock formations, land, jetsam, flotsam, even floating corpses. Number six, the captain can add to this list of rules as he pleases. Any questions?” Four pairs of eyes stare back unflinchingly, but no one appears to have any inquiries.

Sanghyuk then takes a step back, attaching the list of rules to the table with a small knife. After stabbing into the wood firmly, he turns back to his odd bunch of employees.

“Now, let me show you all how to work the rigging.”

Mid afternoon the mismatched men set sail, Wonshik and Jaehwan already retiring to their cabins after the rules were announced. Sanghyuk watches almost anxiously as Hongbin and Taekwoon work in tandem, but breathes slightly easier as they succeed. As long as they didn’t murder each other, they would do fine for now. Sanghyuk stares into the shadowed sky, wondering if there is any use praying for better weather. After all, the journey East is perilous enough on a good day. Hopefully, the captain prayed, the dark sky was not an omen of the future days to come.

A loud shriek comes from the inside of the ship. Sanghyuk sighs and makes his way inside, abandoning his worries for the moment.

The night comes early and the darkened clouds don't clear out even after they set sail. Wonshik had never been on a ship this huge before, only travelling on small boats a handful of times. It is fascinating to him how a contraption this monstrous in size, could move without fail on the waters thousands of feet deep, and not sink.

He stands leaning over the side of the ship where five canons are aligned. The thief wonders if they were ever put to use, or would be soon. Sea wars are as real, in Wonshik’s eyes, as the foolish folktales about the ocean housing mythical creatures. 

The wind whispers loudly, as it hits the sails. The ocean is almost silent, only the sound of water and the creaking of wood from under his feet to be heard. Wonshik traces a finger over a canon and wonders, just what is it that he has set out to find. It's rare - no, in fact this is the first time he ever decided to travel so far. The charms of a pirate ship, the ocean full of freedom and adventures, new land somewhere in the East, new riches to discover. It was all too appealing to him a few moons ago. But now standing under the clean blue sky, surrounded by nothing but water for thousands of miles, he thinks it would be nice if he too could one day find his place. Perhaps it would be nice to stop running. Would he ever be satisfied with his life like that, however? He is left to wonder.

The sound of utensils clinking breaks him out of his thoughts. He turns to the source of the sound, which apparently is Jaehwan, who comes out from the door Sanghyuk so casually called a kitchen. The older man is holding several bowls and forks in his hands, seemingly struggling with the task.

A small smile crawls on the thief's face, something very strange about this man, his antics amuse him and he is surprisingly very adorable. Wonshik has always had a weak spot for cute creatures. 

"This is beneath me," the man, quite slim and tall, is murmuring as he puts the bowls on the table. Wonshik, despite wanting to observe quietly, can't help but snort a little. The other man turns at the realization that he isn't alone and when their eyes meet, there is a dark look in the other's, something hard - dangerous, instinctual. The next second the glint of danger is replaced by a wide grin and crinkled eyes.

"Wonshikkie!" The slimmer man exclaims. 

"That is your name, right?" He asks in an afterthought. Wonshik puts a hand to his heart in mock hurt.

"You wound me, my Lord." The thief says dramatically, smile still etched on his face.

"Awww, I'm sowwy!" The adorable man pouts, making puppy eyes at Wonshik in order to gain his forgiveness, and Wonshik finds it hard to deny it to the cute man.

"And please, call me Jaehwan."

Wonshik loses track of time, and doesn't quite remember how he ended up making useless conversation with Jaehwan about absurd topics like orange ducks. The older made it seem so interesting how amazing it is that plants even grow inside water and such, but he finds the other’s company decidedly enjoyable; even if only one side is talking.

"- and so I told the mistress that I am not interested in women. She looked horrified and the china cup in her hand fell and broke. And you know what happened, the tea in her cup when spilled on the floor was shaped like a snail!" Jaehwan says, excitement rising on his voice with every word, and as he talks about things, his hands fly about to act it out.

Dressed in woolen clothes, a thick jacket engulfing his whole body, he looked like the illustration of a penguin Wonshik had once seen in a book. Wonshik resisted the urge to squish his cheeks and coo.

"That's really fascinating," Wonshik nods along, putting the food on the table, only half listening to the story.

"It is! She never tried to get me into bed again, the last I saw her was when she was bleeding on that maroon sofa. Or was it burgundy?" Wonshik snaps his head up, surprised. Jaehwan looks unbothered by what he said, his finger tapping his chin in thought.

Wonshik stares at the other man for several moments - trying to find traces of a joke, replaying the words in his head thinking if he had heard wrong.

Jaehwan then moves quickly.

"I'm going to call the others," he skips across the deck until he disappears inside.

Wonshik stands there dumbfounded and feeling just a tiny bit horrified.

The crew sits around the table on deck, grabbing various pieces of bread and preserved meats. Wonshik sits beside a chatty Jaehwan, their conversation earlier now repressed to the back of his mind, across from there a distracted Taekwoon appears to be ignoring Hongbin’s existence. 

Sanghyuk sits further away at the other end of the table, seeming to size up the men sitting before him. He had squinted his eyes a little suspiciously when he came in, probably surprised to see neither Jaehwan nor Wonshik dead. It isn't anything impossible honestly. 

Although Jaehwan currently looks like he has a death wish, and is attempting to bother a disgruntled Hongbin.

“What is your occupation, Hongbin? Your body is so muscular.” The unamused man dodges a poke to his chest, exhaling as he attempts to slide his chair further back from the wooden table. 

“Answer me, pretty flower!" A pause. 

"You are too pretty, I resent it!” Jaehwan says again after seemingly taking in Hongbin's figure. His shrill voice is climbing in volume as he once again attempts to jab Hongbin. 

“No one is allowed to be prettier than me!” He says pouting, Hongbin finally swats away Jaehwan’s wrist as another swipe comes his way, and slides a previously unseen knife from his sleeve, brandishing it in the other's direction.

“I will cut off your hand if you attempt to touch me once more, Jaehwan. And do not call me that name either.” Hongbin speaks flatly, but the annoyance is evident under his feigned poker face, his tone threatening. Wonshik takes a moment to appreciate the sight, Hongbin looked positively sinful whilst threatening violence. Jaehwan pouts sadly once more, before quickly brandishing his own hidden blade, pulling it from somewhere unseen to Wonshik, while maintaining his sad face. His knife quite big in size. The thief gaped a little dumbstruck - where exactly was that hidden?

“Threatening me with something so fun, flower? I'll be more than willing to entertain you.” Jaehwan winks, but returns quickly to his petulant frown as a third knife suddenly appears. Taekwoon’s weapon is decidedly a little too close to Jaehwan’s neck for comfort, the taller man silently looking at Jaehwan; his face is empty of any expression, somehow making him look more dangerous than anyone else. Wonshik blinks, deciding whether or not he should get involved before the killing begins. He sighs, exhibiting his own hidden knife and directing it towards Taekwoon.

“Jaehwan, leave the pretty flower alone," his tone, even to his own ears sound like he's scolding a child. 

"Taekwoon, do not escalate the situation.” He drawls, watching Taekwoon’s eyes move from Jaehwan to Hongbin and back to Wonshik’s blade. Hongbin clenches his other fist, glaring in the thief’s direction as a pretty blush rises. Sanghyuk kicks his chair up as he stands, a fifth knife making an appearance in Hongbin’s direction.

“I swear to the gods, you all have the maturity of children. Why the fuck are you all hiding knives?” Wonshik watches as Sanghyuk makes eye contact with Hongbin, who twists his mouth in displeasure.

"I'm more curious about where," Wonshik says quietly, suddenly enjoying this dinner a lot more.

“That is the pot calling the kettle black. You were hiding one too, Captain!” Hongbin spits forth - Wonshik attempts not to laugh at the statement - before slowly withdrawing his blade from Jaehwan’s face. The removal setting off a chain reaction, as slowly each man hides their knives once again. Sanghyuk exhales heavily.

“You absolutely incorrigible fools!" Sanghyuk exclaims throwing his arms in the air. He turns his back to them and exhales deeply, like a tired parent, before turning back decidingly less angry.

"New rule, no threatening each other and no intentionally provoking each other.” Sanghyuk pointedly sends a look to Jaehwan, who feigns innocence and meets the sailor's eyes as if daring to blame him.

"I shall not tolerate this idiocy on my ship. Mind your fucking manners, or so help me I will tie you lot to a bloody anchor and toss you ignorant asses out for the Kraken to feast upon." He gives the men on the table one last withering look. 

"Do not make me repeat myself," and stalks away heavily. Wonshik smiles, the younger looks too adorable even when angry, for a pirate. 

The rest of them do not make anymore conversation as they eat. Hongbin still appears a little twitchy, Wonshik notices, which makes him smirk slightly. So, the younger man doesn’t like being touched? The challenge becomes even more enjoyable, the thief decides.

Jaehwan pouts as he leans over the side of the crow’s nest, watching Wonshik closely. The younger man stands against the ship’s wheel, staring horizontally into the dark sky. The vampire of course has nothing else to look at, so staring at the attractive man is all that is left. 

“See anything, Jaehwan?” The younger calls up, tilting his head up to gaze at the look out. Jaehwan waves his arms to gesture widely in childish frustration.

“Absolutely nothing! There is nothing to be seen!” Wonshik’s thin lips raise into a smirk at the exclamation, turning to look back out at the sea. The rudder cuts smoothly through the soft waves, making for a smooth ride. Jaehwan twirls in exasperation, pirouetting to peer in every direction. The vampire had been hoping for something interesting to make his evening fun, but his pretty flower was in bed and so there was no more teasing to be given. Jaehwan clicks his tongue again, annoyed at the stupid handsome werewolf that skulked around his pretty flower, making the beautiful man smell like dog. 

Wonshik’s low humming fills the air, picked up by Jaehwan’s sensitive hearing, and a sharp smile cuts into the vampire’s cheeks. The younger man was perhaps the easiest to win over, falling easily for Jaehwan’s - albeit fake - childish personality. High society had been too easy to fool, the vampire decides, this crew is much more entertaining in response to his overexaggerated actions.

Jaehwan’s tongue runs over the tip of his canines, fangs extending as he begins wondering how long he can go before feeding from his supplies. He had prepared only a satisfactory amount of preserved blood, due to the complications of smuggling glass vials aboard, and sea-faring was often unforgiving to supply levels. 

The vampire is suddenly broken out of his thoughts by the sound of something breaking the water surface, a small noise that would have been impossible to discern by a human. Eyes flashing their supernatural dark red as he attempts to utilize his enhanced night vision, squinting at the dark ocean. A face catches his eye, dark eyes directed in Wonshik’s direction as the unknown figure cuts through the water. The moonlight shines against the water, making the shimmer of scales unmistakeable. 

Jaehwan, for once in his long life, is speechless. His mouth falls open as he stares at the mermaid - no, merman. The face appears angular and handsome in the shadows as the creature watches Wonshik; Jaehwan must be too hidden in the high, dark crow’s nest for the creature to notice him. A cough on Wonshik’s part snaps Jaehwan out of his reverie, before leaning over precariously to yell at the driver.

“Wonshik!” The vampire pauses as the man steering snaps to attention, the creature also turning to face the unknown voice.

“I see something!” Even at Jaehwan’s attempt not to spook the creature by his screeching, the merman’s eyes open wider before he dives to the depths. Jaehwan is disappointed; such a creature should be mythical - but then again, vampires were supposedly mythical also.

“What is it?” Wonshik calls out, beckoning the elder down the netting. Jaehwan quickly makes his way onto the deck.

“What did you see?” The younger stares intensely, eyebrows raised in surprise at the outburst. Jaehwan’s cheeks almost hurt from the strength of his grin, finally this journey was interesting.

“I saw a merman!” He puffs his chest out, pointing in the direction he had seen the creature. 

“It was watching you!” Wonshik exhales at the revelation and lowers his eyebrows, rubbing his eyelids.

“Jaehwan, mermaids are not real.” Wonshik pauses as Jaehwan stomps childishly.

“You probably saw some seaweed floating around, there is no way you could have seen anything.” Jaehwan’s lips turn downwards at the doubt being displayed.

“I cannot believe you of all people won’t believe me! I am going to wake up Sanghyuk, perhaps he shall believe me!” 

Sanghyuk looks exhausted as he opens the door to his cabin, and if Jaehwan was not in the middle of a tantrum, he likely would have been more curious as to his first glimpse at the captain’s bedroom. Repeating his outburst excitedly, Jaehwan gestures at the water and the curious looking Wonshik at the wheel. The captain blinks once, twice at the information, before gripping the door tighter.

“Jaehwan, there is no such thing as mermaids. They are a myth, only seen by tired sailors. You should rest more outside of your shift. Good night.” The captain’s words carry a harsh finality as he slams the door shut. 

Jaehwan wisely decides not to throttle Wonshik even after Wonshik’s half-shrug, pouting to himself. Even if these idiotic humans didn’t believe him, he - the powerful, ancient vampire - knew what he saw. Hopefully he should see the creature again, as not even the vampire community knew about their existence. That would be a fun piece of knowledge to hold over their heads, he grinned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BinBingBong's note:  
>  this is probably my favorite chapter so far, I love the humor we were able to put in this. Personally both my favorite scenes are written by my co-writer   
> 1) the one where Hyuk lays out the rules  
> 2) the dinner table and all the knives lol . This was honestly such a fun chapter to write, and imagining it was even more fun.
> 
> As usual, the updates will (hopefully) be on 16th every month , dk if we'll be able to speed them up since we're kinda in a slump these days. 
> 
> Comments are very much welcomed, I'm dying to know what part of the chaos is your favorite. Honestly, it was genius idea to write 6vixx on a ship against each other's throats haha


	4. Chapter 4

“Hongbin, you simply must give me your attention! I have an incredible thing to tell you,” Jaehwan says loudly as he enters the small room where Hongbin stood, trying to gather food for breakfast without bumping into the supplies and utensils. 

“Not now, Jaehwan.  _ Please _ leave, it is very cramped in here.” Hongbin says lightly, focus still on the bread loaf he was trying to cut with a very bland knife. 

“But it is very  _ amazing _ news!” Hongbin ignores the other, slipping the dagger out of his pocket, discarding the useless kitchen knife on the floor.

Jaehwan, for his part, suddenly took a step back. Hongbin smirks lightly, even if it wasn't visible to the other.

Just then, Taekwoon appears in the doorway, his eyes giving a once over at the two men. Both are clearly cramped in the small space - closer than necessary - Hongbin notices. Hongbin raises an eyebrow in question at the werewolf, who only mutters a ‘Sanghyuk wants you both at the deck’ and promptly leaves. Jaehwan, thankfully, follows the werewolf. Hongbin wonders, idly, how Taekwoon would react if Jaehwan were to cling onto him. Better him than me, he decided.

Breakfast, Hongbin discovers, is a simple meal on a ship. Loaves of bread, a few over-ripe fruits, and herbal tea that tasted  _ way _ worse than it should. Despite the simplicity of the meal, the chatter and noise are still loud, just as it was at dinner the evening before. 

Wonshik is talking quietly to Sanghyuk about something insignificant to Hongbin. The werewolf is quiet as he eats, only throwing occasional looks at Jaehwan, who was being too loud as usual. Hongbin isn't actively listening but it seems like he was saying something about last night and about hanging in the crow's nest. 

“...and then, the glimmer I  _ thought _ was water reflecting off the moonlight shifted, and a splash sounded. When I blinked again, I saw a  _ real _ merman!” Hongbin, who had only taken the first sip of his tea, barely manages to not spill it at the absurd comment. 

At the other corner of the table Sanghyuk sighs, like a parent would at the antics of their child. 

“Jaehwan-” but said man is quick to cut the captain off, continuing his story.

“It was watching Wonshik, his face was angular and he looked very much human in features. I would have thought sea creatures had some kind of weird and horrific face, but aside from the tail, he -It was very much like a human!” 

Hongbin peers around the table; Wonshik is lazily stabbing his fork in the apple, and Sanghyuk is leaning back in his chair, as if resigned to his fate. Obviously neither believed Jaehwan; Hongbin reflected that sentiment, but the werewolf appeared to be a different story. The older man, while not exactly leaning in, was still very much curious. His face was blank of any interest or curiosity, but his senses - Hongbin notices, due to his training - were all heightened. Hongbin frowns at the implication. The werewolf had never struck him as the type to believe in myths and folktales, yet here he was, listening tentatively. 

“It swam away as I alerted Wonshik. Ah, it is truly a shame. I would have liked to get a closer look. Neither of them believed me.” Jaehwan finished, pouting at his plate. Hongbin narrows his eyes at the man. He’d seen many creatures both known and unknown in his life, he had been in close proximity to many. While he did not completely disregard the idea of undersea life, believing Jaehwan was not an easy task for the hunter. Not because he was speaking of something impossible, but because Hongbin had come to figure the other man liked the attention and would go to any lengths to get it. Believing the elder was lying was not a great stretch of the imagination.

-

Hongbin stands silently behind Taekwoon. The werewolf pays him no mind, considering how long he’s been staring at the back of his head for now. The others had retired to their rooms soon after breakfast; the sun had risen completely and was looming above their heads. The cold ocean breeze was an odd contrast to the warmth of the bright rays.

The two-men team had nothing else to do, except for occasional steering and keeping lookout. Hongbin wasn't all that thrilled to be stuck doing this useless task, but he must earn his travels, as Sanghyuk had instructed. Taekwoon, while not an ideal choice, was the most suitable partner for the task at hand. 

“You believe him,” Hongbin says, after a while, breaking the silence. Taekwoon however doesn't move from his position, stoically staring into the sea. Hongbin knows the creature has heard him however, as they're in proximity close enough to be easily heard. 

A few more moments pass and Hongbin moves to sit on the side, tearing his gaze away from the back of the werewolf's head, and the long hair blowing with the wind. The air was filled with an intoxicating smell, something quite strong and salty. Taekwoon doesn't seem to notice, even with his impressive sense of smell, or perhaps he just doesn't care. 

“You should know better than most, hunter, than to disregard the existence of a creature not so different from others you  _ know  _ exist,” the werewolf speaks in a low tone, his eyes still fixed ahead. 

“Indeed, but I too have learned that the teller of this story would go to great deals for fun and attention,” replies the hunter standing up. 

“I would believe it only if I witnessed it myself.”

Hongbin turns to leave. He doesn't think about the conversation with either men again.

  
  


Hakyeon has never been like the others of his kind. His curiosities were always expanding beyond the borders of his home, beyond the things he was taught and the things he could see. Beyond the oceans themselves.

He sits on the large rock, tail hanging limp on the side as he leans backward on his hands. The sunlight hits his whole body, the warmth spreading throughout his system as he enjoys the few hours left of the sun's heat. The waves whisper beneath him, water still and shimmering under the light. The soft blow of the winter breeze passing through his dark locks, which stick to his forehead due to being wet. Wet is still a strange concept to him, he ponders. Under the water, there is no such thing as being wet or damp. However, when he comes out to land or air, he can see water droplets on his skin and scales and hair dripping water, and it's always a fascinating sight to see.

Today too, unlike many days before, is uneventful. Except for the few hours he spends - after the sun sets - watching the ship, there is nothing else of excitement or adventure these days.

Truthfully, the only reason he hasn't returned to his family in the Reef is because the pirate ship is still in deep waters, and does not appear to be stopping anytime soon. Hakyeon knows that as soon as the ship enters shallower waters, he would not be able to follow anymore. It would be too dangerous, even more so if it's a busy town, or city.

But his curiosities seem to always get him in questionable situations, the very ones his teacher from when he was a merbaby had told him to avoid at all costs. Situations such as yesterday's mishap. It was unusual, in Hakyeon's defense. He had been following the ship and crew for nearly a month now, and has followed many others before that too. No sailor had ever caught sight of him.

_No_ \- he thinks \- _the sailor did catch a glimpse_ , four moons ago, but he would at most think it had been something else. But yesterday, the human perched on a high spot of the ship had not only spotted him - in the deep black of night - but had also identified him. 

Hakyeon jumps into the water and resumes swimming leisurely. He has swam ahead of the ship, and it would be another few hours until sunset, during which the boat can catch up to his distance. 

Hakyeon had noticed the sudden addition of humans on the ship. And truthfully, it was a bit strange for a vessel this big to not have a horde of humans, as they usually do. But during the month's time the Merman had observed the ship, not only did he notice the lack of men, but also the lack of destination.

The last ‘pirate’ ship he had followed was destroyed in a battle against another. 

Because usually, that's what ‘pirates’ did; steal, attack, and move on. Humans had such odd occupations.

Hakyeon swims for some time until he spots another small landing of rocks. He perches upon it with ease, the sudden exposure to the cold air sends a chill down his spine and tail, his fins jolting and readjusting to the change. 

Any other mer would take more time to adjust to breathing in air, which would be the normal thing to do so. But Hakyeon had always been different - different in a way that had frightened his peers in the Reef. Different in a way that put fear in the eyes of the elders of the colony. Different when he suddenly grew a pair of - what he learned later were - human legs, and his mother's eyes went wide, but not in shock.

Different in a way, he learned later, which explained a lot of things. Different because he was  _ half-human _ .

He couldn't do magic, when his friends made bubbles and fireballs with theirs. Hakyeon couldn't swim as fast as others, and always lost in races. The merman had two colors in his tail, unlike others who had only one. All of these made sense to a young Hakyeon, when his mother told him how she fell in love with a sailor and he was _special_ , _he_ _was different_.

She was the only one who had ever said that. After her, no one else told him so.

He sits in the last rays of sunlight, and converses with the few passing fish. Before he even realizes, the night's veil has fallen over the ocean. He waits; watching the direction of waves and ripples in the surface of the water, he observes the direction of the fish and tracks that the ship should be arriving soon. As predicted, after another few hours, at the darkest hour of the night, the great boat sails towards his direction. At this, Hakyeon jumps into the water and follows once again. 

\-----

As the night gets deeper, Hakyeon becomes more comfortable to be as close to the ship as possible. The pace of the vessel slows down at night, due to the winds or intentionally, he doesn't know but it makes it easier to swim along with it leisurely, listening to the humans' conversations and enjoying the night. The moonlight gives him a serene feeling and he swims; enjoying the soft song of the water creatures. 

The human language is still a bit difficult to understand but Hakyeon is capable after so many years of spending time on the surface to understand what the surface dwellers are talking of.

There are several voices, more than he had heard from the ship in all the time he's observed it. Something inside him longs for company but it's a diluted feeling. 

There's a loud shrill voice making most of the chatter, there's another deep and rumbly voice occasionally making comments, and another pair of voices that only hum or share short words. 

The conversation is of no relation to him, and despite his sharp hearing, he cannot make out what it is about. Several more moments later, a particular comment catches his attention, making him snap his head in that direction. "Is there no other topic we can discuss? Or must we keep entertaining your stories?"

"Is it really so hard to believe?” says the high-pitched male voice.

"Yes, very," the deeper voice says, a little hesitant, but kind, unlike the previous one. "Don’t take this to heart Jaehwan, it's just a bit rare … mermaids haven't been seen since-" Hakyeon stiffens. His fins flap slower, and his heart beats louder; he had hoped the human wouldn't believe in what he saw last night; in fact, he was so sure he wouldn't.

"- ever! No one has ever seen one, we do not even know if they exist. Your tale is invalid until proven otherwise." 

"It was there, it had male features and brown hair!" Hakyeon gasps, all his senses heightened and, in panic, he flaps his tail frantically. "- and it was staring at Wonshik! You might not believe this, but my eyes are really sharp; it was a mermaid, I saw a silver tail when it dived into the water." 

"That’s quite specific."

"Yes, perhaps it's following us- out of curiosity for humans maybe." Hakyeon’s mind clouds. He had not expected this; no human had been able to spot him even from a closer proximity, much less see the color of his tail. A thought - _ that perhaps it wasn't a human who saw him _ , crosses his mind, but before he can think more of it, his head hits the flap of the ship. Hakyeon, in panic, had swam at the rear of the ship and hadn't looked where he went. The flap hits his head, knocking him off balance and down in the water. His scales burn, and that’s how the Mer knows he’s wounded. He touches his head with a hand to find blood. Panic rises in his gut and his vision begins to cloud, and as he uselessly flaps, his tail gets caught in the large net dangling under the dark waters. He tries to swim but to no avail, if nothing, it only gets him more tangled in the web until it looks  unsalvageable . Hakyeon swims and flaps; he tries to wrangle free of the loops, tries to detangle the weights that hang at the end of the large fishing net humans had thrown out, but the blood loss soon renders him weak. Not much later, he slips into unconsciousness, unaware of the rising sun over the water.

_____________

The sun slowly crawls its way up on the horizon, casting its hues on the night sky, coloring it a beautiful shade of orange and violet. The ship sails over the calm sea, nothing but clear blue water for miles ahead. Sanghyuk wakes up on his usual time as if designed to do so; after so long it has become a habit engraved in his subconscious. The young sailor never needs a wakeup call, and these days he wakes up even earlier. Ever since the new inhabitants of the ship came, he feels the need to be more attentive; god knows they are like children waiting to let hell loose on the world if left unsupervised.

He washes his face and hair, combs it back, and takes one last look in the tall mirror placed in one corner of the room. The white shirt is tied with silk lace around his waist tightly. The white pants are tucked in the long brown heeled boots that he never wears unpolished. He gives one last tug at the lace around the sleeve and walks out of the room; his back straight, and boots making firm, heavy sounds on the wood. For some reason, these days he has felt the need to be even more presentable around his crew. He does not think further about  _ Why _ ?

“Good morning, Captain,” Wonshik greets him warmly. The man is leaning with his arms crossed on one corner of the deck, his smile present as always, and not a wink of tiredness betraying his face. Sanghyuk decidedly likes the merchant more than any of the others; he seems like a man who knows his limits and manners, someone who would make a good companion but only just enough- 

“Pleasant morning to you too,” he replies, giving him a smile in return. He’s feeling good about today; something about this morning promises good fortune for sailing ahead. His eyes search around the deck for the other man, only to find him sitting on the mast, a replica of the first night. He sighs, but it is not of frustration. “Lord Lee,” he says in a tone as formal and soft as possible; he needs to if he is to convince Jaehwan to come down from his spot. “Would you mind coming back on solid ground, where I would be assured you won’t be in danger of falling?” 

The man in question does not reply nor moves. His face is turned away from them both, so Sanghyuk is unable to read his expression. He turns his head to give Wonshik a look, eyebrow raised, and Wonshik shrugs, a smile playing on his small lips. “Please?” Sanghyuk adds, internally cursing, but Jaehwan does not move. For the upcoming several moments, Sanghyuk watches him. The sailor turns to Wonshik and gives him a skeptical look. “What happened?’ he asks, because Jaehwan is not the type to ignore attention when given, and the only possible culprit is Wonshik, the man who spent the night watch with Jaehwan.

“Don’t look at me,” says Wonshik, raising both hands up to his shoulders, “he hasn’t talked to me the whole night. He was perched on the crow’s nest for a fair portion of the night before he changed places,” he adds after a pause. “I believe he’s upset over the mermaid matter. I tried to solicit him, but it seems my charms fall flat on him when he does not want to talk.” 

That makes Sanghyuk chuckle, lowly. “Are you saying you have charms, Mr. Kim?” He teases, leaning with one hip on the wood, crossing his arms in front. Instead of getting flustered as Sanghyuk expected, Wonshik smirks, a glint in his eyes as he takes a step forward so that his face is only a few inches away from Sanghyuk, their feet touching. He rasps, voice dropping low, “Oh, I have charms, Captain, and I know they are not lost on you.” The air around the man is confident in a way Sanghyuk only hopes to feel when making advances on someone. 

Sanghyuk knows he is fair looking but he has never flirted, or been flirted with by anyone like this, so when he blushes and turns his face away a little, he blames it on being taken by surprise, and definitely not because his stomach does a flip flop by the close proximity. It’s true that the merchant has charms; he is beautiful and manly in a way few are, but Sanghyuk does not wish to think on it further to avoid his face heating up, even more, so he stalks away rather abruptly towards where Jaehwan is. 

“Jaehwan, get down from there; we need to make breakfast and wake the others, and then we need to pull the nets up,” he calls out to the man who remains unmoving. 

“I won’t do any work!” Jaehwan shouts back like a petulant child, refusing to obey. 

“If you do not work, I will throw you off the ship,” Sanghyuk threatens, hoping to frighten the man, but he already knows it’s of no use. Jaehwan gets up from his spot to stand on the mast and walks to the very end of it. Sanghyuk lets out an involuntary gasp, and from behind him, Wonshik makes a strangled sound of panic “Fine!” Jaehwan shouts, louder than necessary, “I will jump off myself, I do not wish to stay in a world that is mean to me!” Even from his position, Jaehwan still sounds overly dramatic and theatrical, tone exaggerated, but Sanghyuk does not wish to test the boundaries of what that crazy man might do. He takes a step forward, only to stop when a voice sounds from behind him.

“Everyone’s entitled to act stupid once in a while, but you really abuse that privilege.” Hongbin’s deep voice sounds even deeper when the man is freshly awake. He walks idly towards the makeshift table and sits on it gingerly, taking in the ocean, seemingly unbothered by the situation. 

“Hongbin!” As if someone pulled a switch, Jaehwan’s mood changes and he runs across the mast (during which Sanghyuk holds his breath), and lands on the deck. He walks to sit next to Hongbin, and Sanghyuk doesn’t wait around to spectate what happens next. He’s already worked up, and it’s not even morning. He sighs- maybe they would catch some good fish today, lord knows they need it.

Breakfast is a simple matter; for once they do not fight; which is odd and suspicious, no matter how Sanghyuk approaches it. Surely Jaehwan is quiet because he is pissed, and won’t eat his bread either. Taekwoon and Hongbin are not the ones to make conversation, and Wonshik does not say anything either, which is out of character. Sanghyuk tells himself it is all a butterfly effect of Jaehwan being quiet that the meal is finished peacefully, but he is still skeptical. One just does not have “peace” when these four men are involved. 

As soon as the light breaks on the sky and the sun casts its rays on the ship, Jaehwan rather abruptly and loudly announces that he will go to sleep. Sanghyuk is more than happy with the fact that their loud mate is not a morning person. He calls out to Taekwoon and Hongbin, who are already on their respective posts, and instructs them where to pull the net from.

They threw the net last evening, hoping that their slow speed would allow them to catch some fish. “It looks heavy,” Wonshik says, treading out of the cabins as he rubs his hair with a cloth. Sanghyuk entirely misses the way Hongbin blushes and ducks at the sight of a bare-chested Wonshik. 

“Let me help,” offers the man, and stands to hold one end of the rope. Sanghyuk starts turning the lever and calls to the three men to pull on the ropes. “Pull it up slowly, no need to rush. We do not want the catch to fall out or jump.”

“It feels heavy,” Hongbin says quietly, but enough for Sanghyuk to hear it. “Maybe we caught something big.”

They reel in the net until it shows out of the water; Sanghyuk peers down and watches the net come up slowly. What he does not expect there is a whole-body caught in the corner of it- and it’s definitely not a fish. His eyes widen in shock, then disbelief. And before he can stop himself, he exclaims, “By the seven seas!” 

At his loud exclamation, Wonshik leans down to look at the net and curses, “Fucking hell,” and lets go of the rope. Sanghyuk shouts, “Do not let go! Pull, faster!” he barks orders, and Wonshik scrambles to catch his end again. Hongbin and Taekwoon too obey, despite not knowing what is going on. They aren’t left curious for long because soon, they are pulling the net on the deck, and no doubt, there is a Merman caught in it.

Wonshik takes a step back, and Hongbin does too. Taekwoon’s eyes widen and mouth slightly agape, which is probably the most emotions he’s shown until now.

Fear courses through Sanghyuk, but he still takes a cautious step forward, ignoring the way Wonshik whispers his name. He curses once more. It is indeed a Merman... 

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> binbingbong's notes: 
> 
> HAPPY VIXX DAY! firstly I would like to say sorry, oops that this is months late ;;;; but my co-writer is dealing with alot and can't contribute for now (?) so I wrote this chapter alone :( then I was nervous about posting it because I wasn't sure if I did it right and I can't get a hold of Gemini, so I considered orphaning this work because I can't really continue this lone, this was steam work and I'm not capable enough to write this type of story alone...anyways, but my good friend Deborah and kind of co-writer, beta-Ed it and I think I'll slowly continue it if you all give it love )   
> anyway, rant finish. happy VIXX day and please tell me your favorite part in the comment, I'm interested and nervous because this chapter was a sole work and ugh, maybe its- not good. hmmmmmmn


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *peaks out shyly* hello and sorry for updating so late *hides again*

Hakyeon wakes up to a feeling he has never felt before, a feeling of being suffocated, and his scales felt stiff. Before his eyes even find vision and adjust to the darkness surrounding him, he knows he is trapped. He tries to move, but finds that he cannot feel his tail; so he panics. Logically, his mind tells him that it is fruitless to flap and wriggle, but the panic rises when, after much struggling, he realizes that not only is he trapped in an unknown vicinity, but his arms are also tied behind his body. 

The surface, on which he was left, is rough and dry, and with a sinking feeling he realizes that he has been caught. He doesn't remember much aside from being trapped in the human trap, and that must have led him to where he is right now. His eyes adjust to the lack of light, and he can see the room he's held in clearly. Hakyeon doesn't know how it is possible but he can see very clearly even in the blinding darkness.  _ Yet another one of his abilities that he discovers _ …

Blinking away the haze that's slowly blurring his vision, he sees that the room is small, unoccupied with anything but the net, he presumes in which he got tangled, on one side, and a barrel in the other corner. He shifts his body to look behind himself; with more difficulty than he had expected,the chain he's being tied in is wielded in the wood behind him. Hakyeon gives it a weak pull. If he preserves his strength, he might be able to break free. But that leaves the problem of getting out of the room, and out in the ocean without being caught. He feels unsteady, and only then he realizes, by the light sways, that he must be on board the pirate ship, the smell of salt weed and water is still strong in the air. He is still weighing all his options when he starts to feel light-headed, like floating in air. He doesn't understand what is happening to him, it is a sensation unlike he's ever felt before, but he could best describe it as feeling— suffocated.

The more time passes, his vision starts to blur and his senses dull; if he had to guess he would say it is from the lack of water. Hakyeon has been out on the surface but never for long, and the way his scales are dry and gills blocked, he knows he's been trapped for a while now. 

He gives his chains a pull; they are artfully tied around both his tail and wrists, but finds that to no avail. The lack of water is making him weak, and Hakyeon tried to push at the panic threatening to crawl up on him; losing nerve will not result in any— 

Hakyeon freezes in his effort to pull the chain loose when he hears heavy sounds coming from just outside the chamber. He doesn't get to analyze it any more than that it sounds like human footsteps on the wood. He lies back down his front, and for a brief moment considers if he should leave his mouth agape. When he was small and played rough with the gold fishes, and they would die, their mouths were always open.

The door to the room opens with a loud creak, and Hakyeon feels his heart beating faster, the fear creeping up on him. He sees the silhouette of a human, and then it walks inside the room, in heavy steps.

Hakyeon tries not to breathe; perhaps the humans would throw him back in the water if he pretended to be dead.

Several beats pass without any more action, and then Hakyeon feels a hand touching the side of his neck; his gills. He freezes, heart in his throat. Perhaps he would be granted a quick death by being strangled, or perhaps the humans would torture him with knives. At that moment Hakyeon feels utterly stupid, for ever leaving the deep oceans. Because of his idiocracy and dangerous curiosity, he will die— 

But the human doesn't do more than only touch him for the briefest of moments, and it is but a very hesitant touch; only a brush of fingers, and the human is leaving, closing the door shut behind him, during which Hakyeon’s heart beats frantically. He cannot help but feel like he has had a brush with death, which is quite ironic and perhaps debatable; he  _ is,  _ after all, aboard a human ship after being caught.

Only when he is sure that no one is with him does Hakyeon open his eyes, and sits up. His head spins when he does so. He would have to escape, either way. Even if the humans didn’t want to kill him, he wouldn't survive much longer without water.

  
  


——

Sanghyuk sighs audibly, closing the door behind him. He runs a hand in his hair, possibly messing it up more than it already was. 

Against all odds, here he was, standing at the door of the room where they had imprisoned a real living Mer. If someone told him a few hours before, he would have tied them to the plank for the piranhas to bite. He sighed once again, just because no one would hear him being miserable. After they pulled the net up and found the creature passed out, or perhaps dead, Sanghyuk had dragged it down on the last floor with Wonshik and for good measure,  _ Wonshik had said _ , tied it up… but the creature was still unmoving as it was the last three times Sanghyuk checked in every hour. Perhaps it was truly dead, which would be an immense shame, but it would save Sanghyuk the trouble of figuring out what  _ the hell _ to do with it! 

If it was dead, they could just throw it overboard and pretend they never saw anything in front of Jaehwan. Jaehwan … Sanghyuk sighs again, dragging his feet against the wooden floor, and making it to the upper floor. He would be insufferable when he woke up and found out. 

Maybe he could just throw his Lordship over board along with the fish man; that would save his hair from turning white at such a young age. 

He straightens his form and lifts his head, masking away any and all tiredness and emotions on his face and walks out on the docks. The others are more or less at the same place where they were when he left. Wonshik is sitting on the chair he had brought from his room and his long legs rested upon a barrel, his head tipped upwards and eyes closed. He's probably asleep, Sanghyuk thinks.

Hongbin's standing with one leg propped up on a stair, hands resting on the ship's edge. The beautiful man looks like some priceless sculpture or painting, gazing out at the ocean like that, the sunlight highlighting all his features. Taekwoon's at his post by the wheel, but he too is gazing out at the ocean, but turns around with almost inhuman speed when Sanghyuk walks out. There's something very peculiar about the long haired man, something dark and—  _ dangerous _ , a voice in his head supplied. But so far he has shown no ill intentions, so Sanghyuk puts the thought away for another time. He has other problems to sort out. 

Taekwoon's looking at him with a gaze that spoke a silent question. Sanghyuk fights the shiver that he feels when he realizes he could understand his question just by reading it in his eyes. Sanghyuk shakes his head in reply, and Taekwoon wordlessly tunes away, resuming his previous position. 

_ Might as well get some work done, _ he thinks to himself, and  walks towards the basket on the other side. They would have to make do with what they had left tonight, some fruit and bread, and lower the net again if they wished to eat fresh. Behind him, Hongbin asks him the question Taekwoon had. 

"Did it move or wake up?" 

"No," he shakes his head, not bothering to turn around, and crouches by the basket. 

"It didn't feel dead," Hongbin speaks silently, as if to himself. 

"No," he agrees, and if he's not mistaken, the creature was in a different position from the last time he checked, so it's definitely not dead. "It definitely isn't dead, but I am not sure if it matters. Dead or alive, we have no use of it."

"What do you suggest we do with it, then?" Hongbin asks, and it's perhaps the first time he speaks plainly, without any sarcasm and malice, but plain curiosity. 

"I am not sure myself. It doesn't feel dangerous and, as fascinating as it is to discover a mythical creature," he turns on his heel to face Hongbin, Taekwoon too looking at him, "I have absolutely no idea what to do with it. We can not sell it; the nearest city is four days away, and no one will pay for it dead, mermaid or not." 

Hongbin nods in agreement, lips in a line. Sanghyuk continues, "And we don't have a way to keep it alive—" Wonshik cuts him off. Sanghyuk hadn't seen the man wake, but he's sitting up in his chair. 

"It will need water," the three of them turn towards the merchant, waiting for him to continue. Wonshik runs a hand in his hair and stands up, tucking his hands in the pockets of his pants. The man has a confident aura around him that Sanghyuk envies, and possibly finds attractive. 

Wonshik continues, leaning back on the barrel, "Four days is not a long time. We can throw a few buckets of water over it a few times. It would be a waste to let it go especially when it will get us a lot of gold. We can sell it to the highest bidder, we can ask any price for it. It will be worth the trouble." 

Sanghyuk stares at Wonshik. The merchant spoke as if it was nothing of a concern; Sanghyuk supposed it isn't. A few buckets of water for a few days isn't all that much trouble, and letting it go does seem like a waste.

"All right," he says, turning to the others. "I will offer you a share of the coin we get by selling it if you help in keeping it alive—" Taekwoon cuts him off, descending the stairs. 

"I have no interest in it," the long haired man says before going inside the cabin, "but make sure the poor creature doesn't suffer." 

"Good!" Wonshik claps, "It's settled then!" he announced, before retreating back inside the cabin, too. Sanghyuk watches the merchant go, then his gaze meets Hongbin, who's looking at him with an unreadable expression. They look at each other for another few moments, before Hongbin turns away. He never did answer if he was interested or had any objections, but for some reason, Sanghyuk can't bring himself to ask.

  
  


—

  
  


The following afternoon is eventless and particularly dull. Sanghyuk spends the day time organizing his many maps and scrolls, only occasionally going down to check on the creature. Hongbin does not make any conversation, and it doesn't go unnoticed by the sailor that he avoids any contact with both him and Taekwoon.

They eat their meal in silence and are not accompanied by Wonshik or Jaehwan, which is unusual. Jaehwan hardly ever wakes before dusk, but the merchant never misses a meal.

It is when, some time after sunset, Sanghyuk is showing Taekwoon and Wonshik how to steer according to the route he had so carefully marked out on the map, that Jaehwan makes his grand appearance. And while Wonshik immediately lightens up at the loud chipper greeting, Sanghyuk groans. If he had a way to keep him in the dark about the mermaid, he would, but with so many people, it will be difficult to. But still, he plans to remain silent for as long as possible. He might have to tolerate Jaehwan being insufferable, but he will delay it until absolute—

"Lord Jaehwan! You will not guess what transpired this morning!" Wonshik is saying, already skipping down on the steps to the docks.

Sanghyuk closes his eyes and prays for patience. He looks at Taekwoon, perhaps hoping to see sympathy or something of the sorts, but the black haired man remains unfazed…

Jaehwan is already loud,  _ louder than usual _ , when Sanghyuk reaches the docks, and gives a wilting stare to Wonshik who purposely ignores it, instead he keeps watching Jaehwan with what Sanghyuk would describe as fondness _.  _

"Did I not tell you, Sanghyukie! I told you I was sure of what I saw."

"Yes, Jaehwan, you did, I apologis–"

"Where is the mermaid? I want to see!" Jaehwan announces, jumping on his feet, and once again Sanghyuk turns to look at Taekwoon, who still looks unbothered. 

"It's a merman, male features," says Sanghyuk,

"So you admit they exist!" Jaehwan beams, victorious, his excitement hardly contained.

"Yes, I said you were correct," the pirate can't help but sound exasperated.

"See, I told you I know my eyes. I have lived long years, child, I know what the world can behold." 

"Ch–child?!" Jaehwan ruffles Sanghyuk's hair like  _ a goddamn elder  _ would before skipping over to Wonshik. Sanghyuk splutters indignantly, as he watches Wonshik offer a hand to Jaehwan and lead him inside to show him the merman.

This time when Sanghyuk looks up, he finds Taekwoon smirking, amused. Sanghyuk stalks back inside as loud as he can.

  
  


——

Wonshik watches Jaehwan crouch by the merman and watches with childlike wonder. He stays by the door, leaning against it. He had seen enough of the creature in the times he had come to dump water on it. It does not amuse him anymore.

"It's fascinating," Jaehwan says with awe, moving around to see, "do you not think so, Wonshik?"

"It is quite beautiful, I must admit," Wonshik nods, holding the oil lamps high, "but it is not particularly enchanting to me as it is to you," he says with no small amount of amusement, and Jaehwan pouts at him, before going back to trace a finger on the creature's tail.

"In all my years I have never seen a creature so appealing to the eye before, every detail about this is so captivating."

"Well, I would advise against getting attached, we are supposed to trade it for gold," Wonshik informs, just in case Jaehwan had other ideas. If Wonshik were to succeed in keeping the creature alive enough to sell it, he was assured the gold he would earn from this would set him for the remainder of his years. There was still a matter of plotting how to steal the merman so he would not have to share, but he still had four days to figure it out.

"I wish it would wake up. I wish to see its eyes, I've heard they have siren-like eyes," Wonshik watches the man engrossed, talking rapidly and mostly to himself.

"Yet I do hope he is not a real siren, there would be no fun in being hypnotized."

"Cute," Wonshik says, watching Jaehwan with his eyes blown wide and mouth in an 'O'. He finds the man extremely endearing, and quite beautiful, too.

"You think it's cute?" Jaehwan's head snaps to his direction and he asks confused, wrinkling his nose like a child would, Wonshik chuckles.

"No, I was referring to you." 

"Am I cute to you?" Jaehwan grins, slipping his hands to hold Wonshik's waist, and the thief mirrors the action.

"Yes, my Lord, you are very endearing," he says, and Jaehwan's eyes glint with mischief. Wonshik closes the distance between them, and presses his cold lips at Jaehwan's warm ones. It is but a short kiss, only a press of skin, but Jaehwan laughs heartily when they part, amused. Wonshik pulls them both out and closes the door, before kissing Jaehwan once again. The smaller man goes pliant in his grasp and willingly opens his mouth to take more of Wonshik. It is an unhurried, but intense kiss, and it doesn't surprise the thief when Jaehwan grabs at his hips, pulling him closer until they are both flushed. Jaehwan's back hits the door and legs part to let Wonshik settle between them. Wonshik bites at his bottom lip, then dips down to kiss his jaw, then his cheeks, and finally his beautiful high nose. 

Jaehwan giggles at that, mixed with Wonshik's own deep laughter, and their voices echo in the hallway. 

  
  


——

  
  


Hongbin is awoken from his slumber by another nightmare. He glances outside the small window to find that it is dark. Perhaps three hours after the sunset. He groans, and stretches, internally dreading going out to the docks for numerous reasons. The biggest being Lee Jaehwan –

When he had decided to sail, he had not expected to have company, or rather, nosy company. He simply wishes to be left alone to his own devices but as if God hates him he is left to travel with not only the most insufferable man-child, but also the merchant. It is strange to Hongbin, who rather thought he was immune to human emotions; it had been quite long since he felt an emotion that wasn't anger or annoyance. Wonshik makes him feel jittery, a crawling up his person, an itch that he can't scratch, and even then he can't say it is an unpleasant–

And  as if summoned, his door is being knocked on. He scrambles to sit up straight, regain some composure and decency. Before he can proper his form, the door opens and Kim Wonshik enters, wholly ignoring the proper etiquette of asking permission before barging in. 

"Good evening, Hongbin. I hope you had a good slumber," the merchant says, quirky in his tone as usual. Hongbin has come to refer to it as  _ flirting _ .

"Dulcet evening, is it not," he says, glancing outside the small window, "I rather enjoy calm nights. I did not know how beautiful it was on the waters, or I would have sailed more often," there's a tone to his voice that sends a shiver down Hongbin's spine, but he ignores the urge to roll his eyes, or blush.

Hongbin gets up from the bunk. "Is there a reason why you seeked me out? If not I would rather–" Wonshik cuts him off mid sentence, something he does often that chafes the hunter to no end. 

"The Captain asked for you. He said he would like it if you would assist him tonight, I did not ask in what," he turns, ginning devilishly, "thought it wasn't any of my business." 

The merchant smirks, eyes suggestive, and Hongbin catches on just a second later. He blushes, and hates himself for it but his eyes steel and he levels the other man with a hard stare. "I assure you, you are mistaken," he says, harshly, hands crossed in front of his chest.

"I did not say anything though," Wonshik is teasing, Hongbin knows and the best route would be to not take the bait. 

"Also, since when do you care about others' business? You always pry whether it concerns you or not," Wonshik chuckles, a low sound. He moves a few steps towards Hongbin, which in the small cabin puts them both just a few inches apart, feet touching each other's.

"Do you think so lowly of me? If you told me to back away, I would, Hongbin," the man says hovering, the teasing smile never leaving his face. Hongbin keeps eye contact, determined not to get flustered by the close proximity. 

"But I have a feeling," Wonshik moves, and whispers directly into Hongbin's ear, "that you enjoy my advances," and then he's leaning back. The man gives him an amusive smile and leaves. 

Hongbin hates the way his heart pounds.

  
  


\---- 

"Ah Hongbin, good thing you're here," Sanghyuk greets, ushering the hunter with a hand. "Help me lift these up," he gestures towards several wooden boxes piled up in the corner, a couple already in his hands.

Hongbin wordlessly picks up two boxes and follows Sanghyuk to the kitchen. The boxes hardly hold any weight, but they're quite big so they both struggle to fit them in the small room.

"What's in them?" Hongbin asks after they move another few boxes, both a bit sweaty and out of breath.

"Supplies. They are not fresh, but the bread and fruits will last us another three or four days," the Captain replies, sitting down on one of the stairs that lead up to the upper dock.

Hongbin stands there leaning on the side of the ship by the stairs, and against all better judgement he says, "You look worried."

Sanghyuk lifts his head to level Hongbin with a flat gaze. It isn't overly obvious, but Hongbin can see the pirate is surprised at the statement. He lifts a hand to scratch at his head, ducking his face to hide, and says quietly, "You've been a little spaced out. I was wondering if you were concerned because of the supplies or something." Even to his own ears, he sounds dumb. 

"No," Sanghyuk sighs, then adds, "it's not the food or rather-" 

Hongbin looks back at the pirate, and he looks awfully small sitting on the step, chewing on his lip. He waits, until Sanghyuk meets his eyes and continues. "It's just everything. I expected us to reach the city by now but it seems my calculations were faulted, and now we have this mermaid–" Hongbin watches Sanghyuk debate whether to say more of his concerns or not; after all, Hongbin is nothing more than a stranger, and it's natural for the pirate to not feel comfortable enough to share his concerns.

Hongbin straightens from his leaned position and dusts his hands off his trousers before addressing the pirate. "If we don't reach land soon, we will throw the nets out." He keeps his vision at the waters, avoiding eye contact with Sanghyuk who's tearing holes in his side. "And don't worry too much about the creature, you can sell it and be done with it. Until then, you only have to water it. It's best if you don't overthink it.'' 

He turns to walk, mentally slapping himself. That was useless advice and an awkward conversation. Sanghyuk could have done without Hongbin and his pathetic attempts at making small talk. He wasn't even planning to talk, but the Captain had look w–

Sanghyuk calls after him when he has almost reached the cabin door. He turns to face Sanghyuk who is now standing closer than before and quirks an eyebrow in question.

The pirate hesitates. He keeps looking into Hongbin’s eyes like he's looking for a sort of confirmation, before he speaks, "Do you really think it is a good choice to sell the Mer, whilst knowing he would not be treated well and possibly killed?"

Hongbin doesn't have an answer for that;  _ the images of every creature he has killed, uncaring if it was wrong or not, flash in front of his eyes. _ And, truthfully, it looks like Sanghyuk is having an internal battle with himself on the matter. Hongbin looks him in the eyes, and notices how they are crescent shaped and sparkle like ocean water under the moon's light. 

"Trust me, I'm the last person you should ask that," he says and turns to walk away _. I'm not a person who cares about showing mercy.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this was slow but we're finally getting to the fun parts! RAKEN is the first ship to happen y'all! More, many many more to come /rubs hands together/👀

**Author's Note:**

> {Gemini / @spookyboywithspookystories}  
> Hey everyone, I hope you like this story! We've worked hard on it, and I'm really excited for it. Other than thanking @binbingbong, I'd also like to thank @debpetrisor, who is helping us muddle through. Photo edits are made by me and @binbingbong :)


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